Intern Five Nights at Freddy's Fanfiction
by gberryb
Summary: Why does it always have to be me? Couldn't I have just been a writer? I didn't ask to be an intern at a shabby 'Family Restaurant' with a creepy manager and a jerky mentor. I never wanted to be in this situation, or surrounded by death. I'm just curious...but curiosity killed the cat.
1. Prologue

"Granny! Granny!" I called, looking over at my guardian for the day. Behind her was my older sister Zamora who was carrying my baby brother, Asher in her arms. I giggled and smiled as my new shiny shoes clicked against the crumbly concrete.

The colorful sign on the front door greeted me as I jumped up at the pushed in handle. Finally, I was big enough to actually shove it open and dash into the restaurant.

"Ellie! Ellie! Wait up!" Zamora called from behind me. She looked out of breath but wasn't holding Asher anymore. Her thick curly hair fell in her eyes and covered the frames of her blue glasses. It was Sunday and she was wearing her favorite blue dress that reminded me of the ocean.

"C'mon! We don't want to be late!" I smiled, looking at my reflection in the tinted glass. Staring back at me was a light haired girl with a frilly, purple dress and violet rimmed glasses.

Still smiling, I turned to a kind looking man standing at podium like structure. He was wearing a purple cap and a pretty purple uniform with a bright golden badge. I liked him. After exchanging a few words with my grandmother he brought out what looked like a stamp.

"What is this for?" I giggled again as the stamp was pressed firmly against the back of my hand. It tickled alot.

"Oh...this is in case you get lost. But that never happens here. It's a precaution." The man said, stamping my sister's hand as well. I didn't understand what 'precaution' meant but it seemed important.

"Zammie? What does precaution mean?" I asked my older sister who looked at me in slight confusion.

"Uh...'precaution' means 'safety'...I think." She pondered aloud. I nodded before looking up to my grandma. She gave me a few tokens, along with Zamora, before shooing us away.

Zamora squealed and grabbed my hand before yanking me over to a stage. I was pretty annoyed, seeing as though I wanted to go play some of the games but Zammie wouldn't let me go. When I finally got a look around I was a bit shocked at what I saw.

Tons of kids were pressing each other against the stage, all of them too short to climb up. Most were dressed in Church clothes but some were dressed casually. I looked behind me to see multiple children with party hats sitting at tables. One was holding a balloon and wearing a crown that said 'Birthday King'.

I wasn't sure why, but I walked over to the boy. He was a few years older than myself and I wasn't sure why he was just staring at the stage.

"Hi there. My name's Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie. What's your name?" I asked, poking him in the shoulder. He looked at me in slight confusion before giving me a smile.

"My name's Mike, and it's my birthday! Ellie. Do you wanna join?" He asked, handing me his balloon. I nodded furtively and took his balloon with a grin. A second later he strapped a party hat around my head.

"Let's go! We're gonna miss the show." He smiled, grabbing my hand before pulling me up to the stage.

"What are you doing?" I whimpered, trying to pull my hand away. His grip only tightened.

"We get to see Freddy Fazbear!" He laughed, pulling me over to a group of little kids. I looked to my right to find Zamora talking to a red haired girl with dark green eyes. They seemed to be friends.

I glanced upwards to see a towering figure that looked like a bear wearing a top hat. To his left stood a pudgy duck with it's wings slamming at the keyboard in front of it. To the left of them both was a huge purple bunny with a big red guitar. He was instantly my favorite since he was purple, and purple was my favorite color. I giggled and smiled as they performed before the curtains closed, signalling the end of the show.

"Hey...look!" Mike exclaimed, his grip tightening even more around my wrist. I glanced up see him pointing at something.

In the darkest corner of the stage someone was standing there. I immediately recognized the person as the guy who had stamped my hand. He was talking to a group of about 6 children; including my sister and her new friend.

"Zammie! Zammie!" I cried as the man pushed aside the curtain and began to coax the kids inside. One by one they went in and didn't come out. I continued to tug at Mike's hand, begging him to help me get over there...but he kept staring.

"MIKE! MIKE!" I cried as I yanked on his arms. My eyes were blinded by tears as I continued to pull. I took a glance at the man who was trying to lure my sister in the back. He grabbed her arm and she screamed.

I wasn't exactly sure what happened next, but I could feel Mike's grip lessen from my wrist. I remember grabbing my sister and pulling with all my might. I remembered how the man lunged at me from behind the curtain. I remembered the world going dark.

I wasn't sure how I got there...but it was dim and cast in shadows. I felt safer than I probably should have. Next to me was Mike, and next to him was Zamora. She was dazed and staring off into space.

"L-look." Mike whispered, pointing at a figure in the darkness. I felt my heart rate explode as the curtain was ripped open by the man. In that one second of realization, many things happened.

Mike grabbed my hand again, and held his grip so tight I thought he'd break it. Zamora curled into a ball at Mike's side and... I saw the man's eyes.

They were dull, lifeless, and angry...like the moving animal things on the stage. He took a look at me and his gaze faltered. For one second he looked sad and remorseful...but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

"GET OVER HERE YOU LITTLE CUNT!" He screamed, lunging for me. He grabbed my leg and pulled harder than anyone had ever done before. There was a sickening 'pop', and then severe pain spread through my leg.

Mike wouldn't let go and wrapped his arms around my chest. Zamora, did the same for Mike. I tried to kick the man in the face but each one missed. Despite the fact we were holding each other with all of our strength, Mike's grip began to slip and I felt myself being dragged over to the man.

His hands grabbed at my shoulders and pulled me up to face him. Once again my eyes were blinded by tears but I could see his angry black eyes. At that point...I automatically knew it was over.

"It's a precaution..." he grinned with malice as he wrapped his fingers tight against my throat. I gasped, trying to get away, but he was too strong.

Somewhere in the struggle I heard a scream and a warning but my vision was going dim. Blood began rushing past my ears as the burning sensation in my lungs became almost unbearable.

Ready for it to be over I closed my eyes. A second later I was on the floor gasping for air, and sounds were becoming clear again. With shaky vision I glanced up to see the man standing there...but something was wrong.

Latched across his head was a mechanical beast with his teeth digging into his skull. I watched in horror as it's grip grew tighter and tighter. Red spilled from the open wound and into the beast's mouth where it dripped onto the floor and into it's fur. Strangled cries began to erupt from the man's mouth which was dripping with his own blood. An instant later, the beast freed his mouth from the man's head with a small chunk of flesh in his jagged teeth.

The thing turned to meet meet us, splattering blood and viscera across our clothes and faces. Zamora screamed and ran out of the room before anyone could catch her. Mike tried to pull me along as well but I was too dazed from what I had just witnessed.

The beast looked me dead in the eyes. He was furry like the other animals but his fur was tinted red. He had one paw with sharp claws and a hook as his other hand. Across one eye was an eyepatch, which he flipped upwards with his hooked hand. I watched with wide eyes as he gave a slight, almost sad nod, before disappearing behind the curtain and into our previous hiding spot.

I swallowed and looked up to Mike who was in the same daze as me. Blood was smeared across his face and clothes from where he's tried to wipe it off. He swallowed hard and slowly walked out if the room with me limping in tow.

When we got back to the stage area everyone was gone. Mike and I were dazed, confused, scared, and seemingly alone. I heard my grandmother call my name and looked up to see her examining me for injuries. When she found my leg she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. Mike let go of my hand and stood there... alone.

I kept my gaze on him...even as the doors closed behind me.


	2. 1) How does it feel

The cool night air stung my lungs as I took a calming breath. It wasn't as calming as I had originally hoped.

"Hey! You must be the new intern." A voice called from behind me. Startled, I jumped up a few good feet and dropped my car keys.

"Hey...calm down. So, I guess you must be the new intern." The voice snickered (not with malice but amusement).

I grabbed my car keys and turned on my heels to meet a man a few years older than myself. I swallowed hard and looked into his eyes before breaking eye contact and looking away. I'd never been the social type.

"Shy huh?" he smirked, although a bit of worry seeming to pass across his face. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll like it here."

"Th-thanks." I stammered, glancing up at him again. He was surprisingly handsome... and way too old for me. Hot embarrassment began to flush across my cheeks from my own thoughts. I was glad it was dark outside.

"The name's Randy Begner," he smiled, putting his hand out in greeting. I reached out my hand and shook his firmly before pulling away. "I'm the manager here. What's your name Miss?"

"I'm Eleanor, Eleanor Bates." I stammered nervously, looking up at him. This time I got a much better look at his features.

Randy was a good head taller than me and much stockier too. He looked to be in his mid 30s with wavy black hair that would occasionally fall in his eyes if he turned his head the right way. As much as I wanted to I couldn't get a good look at his eyes, and underneath his chin I could make out a triangle that was probably part of a tattoo. He didn't seem to be the kind to work with children (at least in my opinion). Also, he seemed too...familiar.

"Come with me. There's... someone I want you to meet." He murmured, his tone suddenly serious. I nodded and followed him into the pizzeria.

The place was very dark, the overhead lights humming from repeated use. I'm not going to lie...it was pretty creepy. There were tables arranged in neat rows with chairs and pristine white tablecloths. Organized in neat secession on the tabletop were multicolored party hats, but in the dim light they were shiny and monochromatic, making them look sad and alone. Much like the things standing on a small stage at the back of the room.

"Wh-what are th-those?" I stammered, pointing to the...things. I wanted to run for my life but I could sense Randy behind me.

"Those?" He asked, giving me a bored yawn. "Oh...they're the animatronics. To keep the kids entertained, ya know."

I nodded but could feel goosebumps raise on my arms. This place was freaky and I was starting to really hate my dad for forcing me into the whole thing.

I didn't realize I had walked in front if the stage until Randy called my name, efficiently snapping me from my daze. I blinked and swallowed as I came face to face with Freddy Fazbear himself. Much to my surprise he didn't look like I remembered at all.

"H-he's... human!" I whimpered, stumbling back into Randy who just snickered in amusement once again. He was really starting to get annoying.

"Yeah. After some sanitation complaints the company decided to dump the old costumes and go for a more...modern...attempt at entertainment." Randy smirked, looking up at the metal tin man before us. I shivered and swallowed before getting a better look at him.

Freddy Fazbear had ditched the huggable fluff of his costume and now wore a sleek brown suit with a black bowtie. In his hand he held a microphone and his other hand was waving to a nonexistent crowd. Atop his head sat a large magician's top hat that was tilted slightly from his movement on the stage and almost covered his short stubby ears poking from beneath his ruffled mane. Instead of having a minimal amount of hair on his head he now had locks of thick amber which were swept across his brow, although it certainly didn't cover his luminescent blue eyes.

To Freddy's right stood Chica the chicken who looked much more feminine than I remembered. To me she looked more like a twiggy bodied manikin, but they made her shorter, with a thick yellow bob cut. She stood in front of her signature keyboard with her fingers pressed against random keys. Much to my surprise she still had her bib that read 'Let's Eat' in bold letters. Including her bib, her clothing consisted of a frilly yellow dress that looked like something a five year old would wear to church on Sunday. Thankfully, she still had the same violet pink eyes I remembered and loved.

To the left of both Freddy and Chica stood Bonnie, tall and proud. His ears were straight up and reached at least a head taller than Freddy who towered over everyone. His hair was a deep purple, styled into what most people would call an emo haircut. I found it kind of funny that instead of having natural colored hair like his friends he was different. Maybe that's why he was always my favorite. In his hands he held a deep crimson electric guitar. Much like Freddy he was wearing a suit, but his was sleeveless and purple. I looked up at Bonnie's face to see his deep violet eyes were staring at me like empty pits. He had changed so much from my memory I could feel a sort of sadness welling up inside of me.

"Are you okay? You've been staring at them for kind of a while now." Randy said, once again breaking me of my trance. I nodded and pulled away from the unfamiliar entity.

"It's just...I don't remember any of them like this. It's kind of sad." I whispered, hoping Randy hadn't heard me. Of course I was wrong.

"Yeah, I get what you mean. Everyone loves the originals, but at least this way everyone wins. The children get their fun, the company gets their money, and parents get the safety of knowing their kids aren't being chased after by malfunctioning robots."

Wait..."malfunctioning"?! I nearly puked, but the look in Randy's face was of pure amusement. "I can't believe you actually thought there was something wrong with the animatronics."

I didn't say a word but looked up at Freddy Fazbear. Although I wasn't sure why, I stood on my tippy-toes and I positioned his top hat square on his head.

"Hey Ellie, we shouldn't keep your 'mentor' waiting." Randy said with sarcasm I didn't quite understand. "It's okay if I call you Ellie right?"

With a small nod I left the stage and followed Randy down a dark hallway to meet my 'mentor'. Looking back on it now I had a reason to feel paranoid but at the time I felt like I was being watched.


	3. 2) To be watched

The hallway was dark, almost pitch black was a good description for it. Occasionally I would bump into a wall, or what I hoped was Randy, but for the most part it wasn't that bad.

Until my foot slipped on the tile and I slammed into a wall that caved in on me with a hearty 'bang'. "Ouch." I whimpered, trying to sit up. A strong pair of hands pulled me to my feet and I realized the wall that had caved in was actually a door that led into a small room with chairs and tables like before.

I swallowed when I realized there was a familiar curtain near the back of the room. Curious, I broke from Randy's grip and walked over to the curtain.

"Hey. We're not supposed to be in here." He grumbled, following after me. I ignored his comment and examined the old violet rag used to cover up...something important (at least it felt that way to me).

There was a small wooden sign that was dusty and decrepit with the words 'Sorry. Out of order.' etched into it with childish scrawl.

At this point I was very curious and wanted to see what was behind this mysterious curtain. Before I could see the secret it was hiding, Randy jumped in front of me with a look annoyance.

"Look. The only thing behind this curtain is an old animatronic that hasn't been used in 30 plus years. There isn't a new car, or a huge stash of money. Just and old piece of decorated metal that'll probably give you nightmares if you stare at it too long."

I swallowed and nodded before my eyes caught a glimpse of something red move right behind Randy. I wasn't sure what it was but I took a step back.

"You alright?" He asked, but he never got a response. I wasn't sure what had gotten into me but I lunged for Randy's arm and pulled him as hard as my strength would allow. Thankfully it was enough force to move him out of the way, just in time.

A large red figure emerged from the curtain, but it wasn't a beast like I had thought. It looked human...but it wasn't. It had hair like a human...but it wasn't. To say the least I was very confused.

"This thing is supposed to be off." Randy grumbled, walking right up to the thing and flipping a switch on it's back. It gave a few whirring sounds before slumping over.

"Wh-what was that!" I stammered, pointing at the animatronic. Randy sighed before stepping away from it.

"This was Foxy the Pirate and this little area was known as Pirate Cove. But the company tried to fix him up when they remodeled the other animatronics...and it didn't turn out too well. From the beginning his wiring was all messed up, so now he's as good as scrap metal." He explained. I nodded and felt quite sorry for the pirate fox.

Taking a step back, I got a much better look at Foxy. He was wearing ripped brown pants with sewed up patches and a rope for a belt. His shirt consisted of a canvas material that looked like a dingy muscle shirt. I swallowed as I took note of his hands. One was normal...the other was a wickedly sharp looking hook. I looked at it's face, which seemed sleepy and bored. Foxy's mouth was hanging open, revealing the sharp teeth inside. I took a step back when I noticed the black piece of cloth flipped away from his eye (an eyepatch I presumed). Despite being a tad larger than a person, Foxy wasn't all that scary. The only thing I would have changed was his greasy orange hair that stood up on end like he had been struck by lightning.

My daze was broken once again as Randy pulled the curtain closed and began to shoo me out of the room. Right before I walked out I noticed a camera hanging from the ceiling.

It was pointed directly at me.


	4. 3) On camera

"Hey...open up!" Randy shouted at the large, metal door. He brought one hand up and knocked on it. Somewhere deep inside I could feel something was off but I pushed it aside and ignored it.

A second later the door opened, revealing a guy a year or two older than me. He had somewhat short locks of dirty blonde hair, which were shoved half hazardly into a cap that read 'Security' in bold letters. To be honest...he wasn't that much of a looker (especially with his scrawny physique). He glared at me with his deep blue eyes and didn't seem very amused about the fact I was in his office.

"Whatcha got Randy? Come to give me another soul-selling contract?" He snorted with sarcasm. Obviously he knew that wasn't the case at all by the way he was eyeing me.

"Ha ha. No." Randy said in a monotone voice. "In fact...this is your new intern Mike. Have fun."

With that, Randy left, leaving me alone with Mike...the irritable security guard. I swallowed and sat down in an empty leather chair. Mike leaned over and touched a button that closed the heavy metal door. I gulped and sat back uneasily.

"God, I hate that guy." Mike growled under his breath while slumping back into his chair. He flipped up a tablet thing and began to ignore me. About ten minutes later I'd had enough.

"Um...excuse me? You're not going to introduce yourself?" I asked with a frown. I didn't think he'd be this rude. Mike grumbled again, but put down his tablet with a sigh.

"The name's Mike Schmidt. Nice to meet you...uh?"

"It's Eleanor, Eleanor Bates. It's nice to meet you Mr. Schmidt." I said in monotone, shaking his hand. He didn't seem to be very impressed. I rolled my eyes and slumped back into my chair.

"Just call me Mike. When you say 'Mr. Schmidt' it makes me feel old." he smirked, giving me a small playful look. I nodded and sat back in my chair, feeling a bit more comfortable.

A few uneventful hours passed and I began to lose my mind. Being trapped in a cramped office with a stranger who seemed to hate me was very sickening. I do have a small amout of claustrophobia.

"Mike..." I whimpered weakly, "Can I...stretch my legs for a bit?"

"Why?" He asked, unamused. "Going out there is a dea-is a bad idea"

"Look. I...get claustrophobic." I pointed out, while glaring at him. "I can't be trapped in small places for long periods of time."

"And that means what to me?" He smirked, reclining back in his chair. What a jerk.

"That means I might get sick...all over you and your stupid tablet." I glowered, crossing my arms. To my surprise, Mike put down his tablet and looked me straight in the eyes.

"You haven't heard any rumors about this place? Have you?" He murmured, his tone smooth and serious.

"I can't say that I have." I said with a bored tone. "What does this have to do with me wanting to go to the bathroom?"

"Eleanor. Going out there..." he murmured again, motioning towards the right metal door. "...is a death sentence."

"I don't care. As long as I'm out of this crappy office with you, I'll be fine."

Mike seemed to ponder this but eventually made up his mind. "Fine. Go ahead. But I'm not going to your funeral..."

"Whatever." I growled, slamming my hand against the door button on the right side. It opened with a loud 'bang', making both Mike and I jump slightly.

I walked out into the hall, just as the door slammed abruptly behind me. I cursed at Mike and his jerkiness before walking down the dark hall. Even in the near pitch black darkness I felt like I was being watched.


	5. 4) Stalking

My body was sick...even though I felt fine. I wasn't sure if it was because of the stress of being in that cramped office, or if it was because I didn't really want to be there in the first place. Either way...I lost my dinner...and my peace of mind.

"I can't believe he made me do this!" I glowered, rinsing my mouth out with some water and staring into the mirror above the sink."I didn't even have to do this!" I growled bitterly at my own reflection.

Staring back at me was a girl that I didn't recognize. Her hair was light brown with highlights of dark and blonde. Her eyes were a deep brown with shiny circles of contacts, which covered them. She wasn't cute, pretty, or tall, but she was average. Average...

"I HATE HIM SO MUCH!" I screamed, slamming my hand against the glass with enough force to shatter it. I hissed in pain as the realization dawned on me that my fingers were probably broken.

I jumped in alarm as a loud screech filled the empty restaurant. It sounded like a chair was being dragged against the floor in the hallway. My heart rate began to increase as I slowly walked over to the doorway.

"Mike? Mike...is that you?" I whispered quietly as I inched out if the bathroom. I felt on edge, and I was almost positive it wasn't Mike that had made that sound.

"M-Mike...th-this isn't f-funny." I stammered nervously, holding my injured hand in my good one. I glanced around the dark hall and swallowed as I saw nothing. I sighed and leaned up against the wall...which was surprisingly soft.

"Huh?" I murmured, looking behind me. I was standing in the empty doorway of the ladies bathroom. "I could of sworn-"

"Eleanor!" Mike called from the hallway. Relieved, I ran around the corner and bumped into Mike who was sweating lightly, his complexion very pale. He looked around with his flashlight before sighing in relief.

"I thought I saw..." he trailed off. He turned off his flashlight and pushed me aside. He then knelt over and picked up a black piece of cloth before glancing up at me.

"What's that?" I asked, taking it out Mike's hand to examine it. "This wasn't here before."

"What do you think it is?" He whispered. I could see on his face that something was wrong. I looked at it and swallowed a lump of fear in my throat.

"Ha! Ha! Very funny Mike. This is Foxy's eyepatch. You're just trying to scare me." I growled with annoyance, my fingers tightening around the cloth.

"You're not going to believe me anyway so why try to fight it." He sighed, throwing his hands up in defeat. "And for your information...I thought I saw Foxy behind you."

"Of course you did." I hissed, walking back towards the office. Mike was right behind me. "Wait? Do you hear that?" He whispered.

"What? The sound of me not giving a shit, or-" I was cut off by the sound of metal pans being tossed around in the kitchen.

"C'MON!" Mike shouted as he grabbed my arm and pulled me in the direction of the office.


	6. 5) Has it's morals

A childlike scream filled my ears as I sprinted down the dim hall. My sneakers slipped against the tile as I turned into the office. Before I could shuffle out of the way, Mike barrelled into the office at full speed, causing me to trip over a chair.

The wind was momentarily knocked out of me as I landed on my side and injured hand. I groaned and leaned up against the metal doorway for support as I tried to stand up. A loud 'thunk' could be heard as Mike closed the metal door on the right side of the office.

I groaned again and put more of my weight into my supporting hand. I wasn't looking where I had put it and accidently pushed down the 'Light' button of the left door. With a huff I looked up, freezing at what I saw.

Bonnie stood in the doorway, hunched over to prevent his ears from hitting the ceiling. His dark purple eyes were mere inches away from mine, and he smelt like blood. Eerily enough, his face was blank...like he'd just heard a lame joke.

"M-Mike..." I whispered feebly, unwilling to take my eyes off of the homicidal machine in front of me. Bonnie didn't move, but neither did I.

"Elea-" Mike started from behind me before his voice cut out. I knew I had to close the door but I was afraid he would lunge at me from the movement

"Close the door." Mike stated slowly. I swallowed and slowly pushed my hand upwards until I felt the edges of the button against my fingers, all while never taking my eyes off of Bonnie. I blinked and froze again at what I saw.

I wasn't sure how, but he was even closer than before. His eyes were now a demonic black with white pinpricks in the middle. Instead of a blank expression, he was smiling...with a black substance oozing from his teeth. My jaw dropped, and I could hear a rustling from behind me.

I felt pressure against the back of my hand and screamed as Bonnie lunged for my face with an open mouth. Before the door closed I could see a second set of teeth lodged deep inside the back of his mouth.

Another scream left my throat as I jumped backwards, and into Mike. The sudden movement caused me to slip and fall onto the floor, where I hit my injured hand into the leg of the desk with a metallic sounding 'ping'. All traces of fear were automatically dismissed at I writhed in even more pain.

"Hey. You okay?" Mike asked, pulling me up from the floor. He took one look at my hand and grimaced in response. "I guess not."

"You just noticed?" I growled, pulling my hand away from him. I didn't want him to look at it, much less touch it.

"This place might be going broke but they still have a first aid kit under the desk." He said plaintively, glancing at my hand again. "I can fix you up...if you'd like"

As much as I wanted to say no I know that it was in my best interest to yes. Trust me. I loathed the idea of letting him anywhere near my hand but I very well couldn't do the bandaging myself.

"Yeah."


	7. 6) Small talk

"...and were done." Mike sighed, wrapping the last layer of bandages around my fingers. It hurt like hell, but it would do until 6. When I looked at the clock it read 5:00 and I was already exhausted.

"You should probably get that checked out in the morning." He said, stating the obvious. Thankful for the advice I managed a nod before wincing in pain. Although, I found it kind of odd why he didn't ask me about how the injury had occurred.

"You'd better spill." I spat dryly. Mike ignored me and continued to put away the medical supplies. I narrowed my eyes at him and sighed.

"I know you heard me," I grumbled, sitting back in my chair. "Why was Bonnie standing outside of the door like that?"

Mike sighed and slid the plastic white kit back underneath the desk before standing up. He turned around and leaned up against the desk, staring me down. Anguish, fear, and mortification were just a few of the emotions conveyed on his face.

"You really want to know?" He faltered as I nodded and sat expectantly. His fingers were drumming against the desk in a nervous rut. I figured his whole explanation would be mind boggling but I didn't know it would make him so apprehensive.

"Alright," he mumbled, gripping the desk instead of drumming his fingers on top of it. "I've been getting some 'calls' from one of the old nightguards who worked here before me."

"What kind of 'calls'?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him again. He sighed before beginning again. "Would you let me finish?"

"Fine," I muttered, slumping back in my chair. "but you'd better elaborate."

"Okay," he sighed, putting his hands up in a mock defeat. "Well...this guy was giving me tips and stuff to stay alive." I nodded, although I didn't really understand what he was getting at.

"I also did some reasearch about this place. From what I understand this place is...haunted." Mike stated, his face growing even paler in response.

"Haunted? How is that even possible!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in disbelief. To be honest I found that to be enragingly stupid but I wasn't about to insult Mike over it.

"That's just it." he murmured. "From what I understand these animatronics hold the souls of murdered children. At least...that's what I understand."

I nodded at began to nibble at my thumbnail (a nervous habit), trying to make sense of the new information. "Why didn't Bonnie just kill me when he had the chance then?"

"I don't know..." Mike trailed off, he too deep in thought. "They all seem to do that though."

"Wait...so they don't automatically kill you when they see you?" I mused, leaning forward in interest. He nodded and sighed, biting his own thumbnail in response.

"They don't kill you automatically, but when the power goes out I presume they'll try to...forcefully shove you in a suit." Mike stated, looking over at the phone sitting on the desk. "At least...that's what 'Phone Guy' explained."

"Who's this 'phone guy'?" I asked curiously, looking into Mike's thoughtful eyes. I found it kind of odd I didn't grow shy and turn away like I usually did, but at the time I wasn't very concerned. After all...I'd had just stared down a blood thirsty metal machine.

"He's the one that explained vague information about the animatronics. He also told me about this incident with that fox animatronic in '87. I'm not sure why it sounds familiar though." Mike muttered. The last sentence was whispered, as if he didn't want me to hear.

"What happened?" I murmured, now thoroughly concerned about my safety. "I...don't know." Mike shrugged, relaxing slightly as though a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.

I nodded absentmindedly but my mind was racing as puzzle pieces clicked together in my head. I now understood why the animatronics were hostile towards us but that didn't help the nagging thoughts in my head.

"How many calls have you gotten from that 'phone guy'?" I asked, my eyes suddenly finding his tablet on the table. There was something important about it...but I wasn't sure what.

"I don't remember but I think it was four." He mumbled, deep in thought. "Also...I think he's dead."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. "How long did he work here?"

"Your guess is just as good as mine." he shrugged. "But I'd say...about a week."

"H-how long have you worked here?" I stuttered, unable to look him in the eyes. Just the thought of how many nights he'd survived made me squirm. How could he keep doing this?

"This is my third week here." He stated dryly, as if it were no big deal. I swallowed hard and looked at my shoes before giving another detached nod.

"How do you do this? Why do you do this? Don't you know the risks?! What's wrong with you!" I shouted, tugging on my bangs in agitation. I wasn't exactly sure why I felt that way but I did and wasn't afraid to show it.

"For one...I don't like being yelled at. And two, I do this because I have to." He said matter-of-factly, leaning up against the desk.

"You'd better spill."


	8. 7) Is complete lies

The chime reverberated through the entire building, so loud that it hurt my ears. I jumped at the sudden sound and sighed as I realized it wasn't dangerous. Mike seemed to be a bit startled by it too, but a wave of relief crossed his face.

"Saved by the bell." I muttered bitterly, grabbing my set of headphones from my pocket and slipping them around my neck. Mike smirked and nodded before disappearing into the right hall. I wasn't afraid for his safety...seeing as though the animatronics weren't allowed to walk around in the morning.

My shoes squeaked silently against the tiled floor as I trotted down the hallway. I figured Mike would ditch me seeing as soon as he could, seeing as though I'd do the same to him. Instead of taking the right hallway like him I decided I'd take the left. After all, risk taker is my middle name.

I yawned and stretched, exhaustion finally starting to kick in. Part of me didn't want to drive home but then I remembered my fingers. I grumbled in frustration and slipped on my headphones to drown out my ever growing hatred of my dad. He'd been the problem from the start.

He'd been the one to urge me to get a degree in business like him so I could take over his empire when he died. My little brother and older sister got to do what they wanted to do but not me. Oh no. I was destined to work every day, all day, managing people and commandeering his nationwide moving business. But to do that I needed "real experience" as he had said. Not just sitting around on my lazy ass. That meant working as an intern at...this hell hole...for free.

My angry thoughts were immediately disbanded as a malicious stench filled my nose. I gagged and whimpered, covering my nose in disgust. What was that smell, and why hadn't I smelt it when Randy and I had come down this hall before?

I followed my nose, which lead me to a room a tad bigger than the office. Inside of it there were many face plates and parts for the animatronics laying around. To be honest...they looked real. Almost...too real. Using my phone as a flashlight I took a quick look into the room.

Nothing really caught my attention except for a slump of clothing on the floor. Curious, I stepped closer to the item and picked it up. The texture was slick and the color a deep, dark, almost navy blue. I recognized the item as a windbreaker jacket with the words 'Security' embroidered in white over the heart. Underneath the jacket was an old cap that resembled the one that Mike had been wearing earlier, except for the fact it had a few black stains on it. Speaking of which...so did the jacket.

"What are you doing back here?" a firm voice commanded. I jumped and squeaked, dropping the garments back onto the floor. I swallowed and sighed as I realized who the voice belonged to.

"Uhm...I'm sorry Randy but I smelt something bad back here. It's like somebody died. I was just curious." I smiled sheepishly, turning around to meet his stern eyes. Surprisingly they were light and airy...as if I had told him a joke.

"No problem." he said simply, "Your shift is over...but if you want to keep the jacket and hat you're welcome to." I nodded and blushed with embarrassment before taking my new uniform and leaving down the hall. Still...I found it kind of odd how Randy hadn't said a word about my hand.

I walked by the stage to see Bonnie watching with his barren eyes. I gulped and headed for the door, slipping some Fall Out Boy into my earbuds to silence the dread growing in my stomach. I took one look behind me to find Randy watching me intently, as if I were a thief of some sort. I left and closed the door behind me with only one thought running through my head. Something was really off about Randy.


	9. 8) Love is always

"Woah...what happened to your hand?" Zamora exclaimed as I entered our apartment, heavy with exhaustion. I whimpered, and nearly plummeted to the ground as she steadied me. A minute later she walked me over to our aging, old, leather couch. Once there, I slumped onto it before letting out a pained moan.

The adrenaline and excitement of the night had worn off, leaving me with my throbbing hand and an ache for more. I wasn't going to tell Zamora that I decided I was going back. I couldn't. I had to lie.

"I...accidentally got my hand slammed in a door." I stated sharply. Zamora grumbled and examined my splinted fingers. Thankfully only two of them had been broken...instead of my whole hand. "Looks like I have to ask how your day went." she muttered, plopping down on the couch next to me.

"Terrible. The manager was really weird...and my 'mentor'? Hah. Don't even get me started on him." I snorted in slight frustration. "He was messing with me all night and wouldn't leave me alone."

"Nuh-uh!" Zammie gawked in disbelief. I nodded and looked up with the little strength I had. "What did he do?"

"Well, let's see." I mumbled in thought, leaving out most of the details. "He was watching me over the security cameras. And when I went to the bathroom he made up a story just to come and 'check on' me." Zamora crinkled her nose in disgust and grumbled.

"What a perv!" she scoffed, grabbing her laptop from the charger and typing on the keys. "What's his name?"

"Uh...Mike Schmidt." I answered. "Why?"

"Bingo." she giggled, turning around the computer to show me her findings. I was a little shocked she had searched him up on Facebook but I figured it would hurt to learn more about him. I scrolled through his posts before one caught my eye.

"Who's she?" I muttered, enlarging the image. Mike was sitting at a bar with a drop-dead gorgeous blonde. She was tagged...Rachel Knapp. "Wow." Zamora mumbled in awe. I glanced over and she was thoroughly scouring the image. Almost as if she were devouring every little detail.

"He...he seems familiar. Doesn't he?" she mumbled again, her eyes flickering with unspoken thoughts. I shrugged and went back to the picture before slamming the laptop closed. "Look...I'm going back tomorrow. But right now I'm gonna take a shower cuz' I smell like ass and pizza."

Zamora let out a faint giggle before nodding in agreement. "Hey...Jake wants to talk to you. He's worried..." she sighed, her tone suddenly serious. "Really?!" I asked excitedly before blushing in hot embarrassment.

"There's no need to be ashamed about your little crush." she mocked, intertwining her fingers and shrugging her shoulders in Disney Princess style. I felt my cheeks grow even hotter before I left the room.

I didn't deny I had a crush on Jake...I'd had it for a long time. He lived next door and went to the same college as Zamora. A good part of me was jealous that Zammie got more attention from him than me but I wouldn't say anything. I kinda like being alone anyway. So much more secure.

"Ellie! Before you go talk to him I want to tell you there's a party on Sunday. If you want to go!" Zamora called from the front room. I shook my head and looked into the hall.

"It's Tuesday right?" I called back. "We'll see if I'm not in a full body cast by Friday."

With that I slammed the door shut and slumped against the door. Finally I could assess my thoughts in peace. One of them was that I decided I was going back. It may have been stupid but I knew that it was the smartest decision to make.

After all, I couldn't just leave Mike in a restaurant with murderous animatronics, no matter how much I disliked him. That'd just be so wrong on so many levels. Especially my own.


	10. 9) An illusion

When I woke up about seven hours later, my heart was pounding from a nightmare. Or a day-mare, since I had woken up at around four in the afternoon. To be honest I had kinda seen it coming...especially since I remembered how Bonnie had smiled at me.

I tried my hardest to slow my heart rate, but the emotions my dream had caused were even more terrifying than a bloody Bonnie face. I gripped my head in my hands and sighed, trying my hardest to coax my feelings into submission. There were too many things I had to face and I wasn't ready. I'm just glad I knew that.

With a yawn and a stretch I literally fell out of bed and onto the floor where I stayed for a minute, still trying to focus. When I did regain my thoughts and emotions I tried to sit up only to groan in pain because of my bandaged hand.

"Dammit!" I grumbled to myself. "I forgot to take those fucking painkillers."

I sighed and propped myself up with my good hand before stumbling to feet. The emotional aftermath of my dream was still present, causing me to close my eyes and howl. I never cry but...I did. I did because I was helpless, lost, and tired.

I sniffled and whimpered, wiping my eyes and face before grabbing some clean clothes. I had taken a shower last night but I felt grimy from the events of my dream. Even though it hadn't been real I could still feel the blood and dirt caked into my hands.

I closed my eyes and slammed my head against the wall. The dull pain pushed the thoughts out of my head and lead to a little relief. I entered the bathroom and turned on the water to the coldest setting. I knew I'd regret it...but I did it anyway.

I stripped and whimpered as I threw myself into the shower. Shocking cold water spilled over my head and erased all thoughts of earlier...leaving me shivering. I did my best to get clean and exited the shower before wrapping myself in a pair of fluffy towels.

"Ellie! Are you done in there!?" Zamora yelled from the hallway, banging her fist on the door. I jumped and stubbed my toe against the sink before cursing my luck. "Yeah! Just give me a minute!" I shouted, scrambling to pull on my clothes.

My damp hair fell over my eyes as I exited the bathroom. To my surprise Zamora wasn't outside ready to kick me out of the way, instead I was greeted by a familiar face.

"Jake!" I exclaimed in embarrassment. "Wh-what are you doing here?!"

"I came to see you." he murmured. I flushed even harder than before.

"Uh..." I whimpered, trying to form words. "Wh-why?"

Jake bit his lip and turned away, leading me into the front room. Thankfully Zamora wasn't there (hopefully she went to work). He plopped down onto the couch before beckoning me over. I flopped onto the couch before wiping my limp hair behind my ears.

"You...haven't been yourself lately." he stated, pushing his thick black bangs out of his eyes. I looked at my hands before sighing. What happened at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza was my secret...and telling him would only lead to him thinking I was crazy. I couldn't do that.

"I...I got an internship at a business and its a lot more stressing than I thought I would be." I muttered, trying to hide my throbbing hand at my side. I still hadn't gotten a chance to take my pain meds. "I'm still going to do it though."

"Hm." he hummed, allowing me to drape my legs over his lap. His dark green eyes were studying me as if I were a really good book. I gulped and looked away trying to understand his interested stare. "Your hand? What happened?"

He had asked it without the slightest hesitation or even sympathy. I swallowed a lump of fear and sighed. "I...got it stuck in a car door. It was an accident."

"Hm." he hummed again, draping his hand over my knees. I shuddered in embarrassment before averting my gaze to the floor. The way we were sitting on the couch would have immediately aroused suspicion, but I had known him since we were kids. I also knew he had a crush on my older sister...

"You're lying." he said sharply, scattering all of my thoughts. I gulped and tried to stutter an excuse but he stopped me. "I understand why."

"You do?" I asked in astonishment. Did he know?

"Yes." he said plaintively. "Zamora told me everything."

"Zamora?!" I shouted. "She doesn't know a damn thing about me! She cares only about looking pretty and having a new boyfriend every day!"

Jake looked at me in bewilderment...as if I had slapped him. I immediately knew what I said had been too much. I wasn't lying though. Zamora only cared about herself and the occasional gossip...I just wished Jake would be able to see that.

"No she doesn't." he scowled, gripping my leg in his hand. I tried kicking him away but he was too strong. "Your sister in a wonderful person. She has done so much for you and me! You should be grateful!"

"I'm NOT!" I shouted, getting in his face. "She doesn't give a shit about how I feel! If she did she'd..."

"She'd what?!" he shouted back. I wanted to say "She'd tell you how much I care about you." but I knew that wasn't a good idea.

"What would I say, Eleanor?" a calm voice stated from the hallway. Both Jake and I turned to see Zamora watching us like we were a soap opera. I took this moment to wriggle out of Jake's grip, slip on some chanclas, and slam the front door behind me.

Love is an illusion.


	11. 10) Work is

I slipped on some headphones before jogging away. It was the heat of the day and Cicadas were buzzing their droning melodies. A good piece of me wanted to go home and pass out from emotional exhaustion but I couldn't let myself do that.

I forgot all thoughts as I jogged my daily route and drowned out all noises with Fall Out Boy. Patrick Stump's deep voice seemed to be mocking me after a minute of listening. I peeled of the headphones which were sticky with sweat before plopping down onto the warm concrete.

A good part of me wanted to cry but I just sat there, heaving in mental distress. It was as if I could sense something was wrong...as if I knew something was going to happen. Like a sense of déjà vu that I couldn't get rid of.

I hopped back to my feet, switched my play-list to Paramore, and jogged off with a deep, foreboding weight in my chest. Somehow I knew this had nothing to do with me but with someone I cared about.

Thankfully, when I got back to the apartment, nobody was there. I was alone with my thoughts. Remembering my soiled jacket and hat laying on the floor in my bedroom I decided to do some laundry.

After loading the washing machine I also decided to do some research about Freddy Fazbear's Pizza...and Mike (if time allowed). I flipped open Zamora's laptop to have a picture of Mike and Rachel in my face.

"God. I hate Facebook." I muttered bitterly, clicking out of the page. I sighed and opened up Google where I searched up the restaurant. I nearly spit out some water I was drinking at the sight of how many articles there were.

Five missing children. All presumed dead.

Mascot killer caught!

Loved pizzeria said to close by year's end.

Do you want to graduate college? Click here!

Those were just a few of the articles I saw. All of them were pretty self-explanatory. I swallowed hard and flipped the laptop closed before the washing machine chimed.

"SHIT!" I cried, studying the clock closely. It was about eleven-thirty and I needed to get to work. I slipped on an old pair of shorts and an old white muscle shirt plus some tennis shoes. I yanked on my new uniform jacket and pulled down my 'Security' hat across my brow.

I snatched up my keys, headphones, and phone from the counter before heading out the door. As much as I didn't want to admit it...I was ready for a hellish nightmare.

"Well, you're here early." Randy smirked as I entered the building. I allowed myself a small chuckle before nodding in agreement. "I-I thought I was late."

"Well, you're not. In fact, you're twenty minutes early." he chuckled, obviously at the look of embarrassment on my cheeks. "Well, that's alright."

"Say. You wanna help me round up the kids that're still here?" he asked. "They don't ever want to leave."

"Th-there are still little kids in here?!" I asked, my voice going shrill in fear. Don't they know the animatronics move around at night?

"Yeah." Randy said with a slight shrug. "We need to get them out of here."

I nodded.

"I'm sorry little girl but you can't be up there." I stated firmly, walking onto the stage area. I eyed Bonnie who seemed to be watching me.

"Aw c'mon!" the little girl protested as I grabbed her hand. "I wanna talk ta Bunnybon!"

With obvious annoyance I looked down at the pouty little girl with big brown eyes and light colored hair. She was wearing a purple shirt, some knee-length jean shorts, black Converse shoes, and had a light purple bow in her hair. She reminded me of someone I couldn't place.

Glancing at my watch I sighed before giving her a small nod. It was about 11:45 and Randy had corralled most of the kids in the main hall where their parents were sorting them out. This little girl was a straggler and I had to come get her.

I glared at Bonnie, ready to push the little girl out of the way at the first sign of trouble. "Miss Seckitty?! Miss Seckitty!?" the little girl called. I walked over to her, careful to keep my distance from Bonnie.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" I asked, kneeling down to the girl's level. She seemed more distraught than when I had first arrived. She began to cry and I looked at her in bewilderment.

"Mommy says that Bunnybon, Ducky, and Feddy aren't real! Is that true Miss Seckitty?" she sobbed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. I sighed and tried to comfort her but she demanded an answer I wasn't sure how to give.

"Look sweetie..." I trailed off, glancing up at Bonnie, Freddy, and Chica. All of them were watching me and I knew it. I gave a sincere smile and looked into her big brown eyes. "They've always been real. You just have to believe they are and it'll be true."

"Do you believe they're real?" she asked, seeming to calm down a little. I glanced back up at the animatronics before my eyes found Bonnie's. His stare was cold and indifferent, but it didn't scare me like I thought it would.

"Of course I do." I stated firmly, as I stood up. "In fact...Bunnybon here used to be my favorite."

"Really?" she asked with a small gasp. I nodded and crossed my arms before staring Bonnie in the face. "Yeah. Who's your favorite, kiddo?"

"Bunnybon, cuz he's purple! And purple's my favorite color." she giggled, running over to Bonnie and tugging on his pant leg.

"Really?" I asked, only to get a nod from the little girl. "You don't like Chica the chicken? Or Freddy Fazbear?"

"No. I like Bunnybon cuz he's special." she stated firmly, her opinion unchanging. I nodded and smiled.

"Let's get you home kid."


	12. 11) Underrated

"But I don't wanna go home!" the little girl whined as I took her hand. "I wanna stay with Bunnybon!"

"I know, I know." I sighed, kneeling down to her height. She pouted and looked up at me with objective eyes that were filled with anger. "Look kiddo...it's not safe to be here at night."

"Is that why they hired you Miss Seckitty?" she asked, looking up at me with her amber eyes. I nodded before taking off my hat and placing it on her head. "Keep it kid. You probably need it more than I do."

"Really?" she asked, taking my hat and giggling. "Yeah, but Miss Seckitty has to keep the area safe. That means you've gotta get out of here before things start getting bad."

"Okay." she said with slight confusion before scrambling around the corner with a grin on her face. "MOMMY! MOMMY! Look at what Miss Seckitty gave me!"

I chuckled and smiled before I felt eyes watching me. Apprehensive, I tucked my hair behind my ears and swallowed as I walked into the main hall. To my surprise no one was there...even the little girl I had expected to see. The place was deserted, dark, and dreary, unlike how it had felt before.

I sighed and looked at my phone to see the time was 11:52. Now that I had given my hat away I could actually listen to my headphones and enjoy them. With a sigh I plopped down in a chair in front of the show stage and began to sing along to my favorite songs.

"I'm about to make your sweat roll backwards and your heart beat in reverse. Our guts can't be reworked. As alone as a little white church in the middle of the desert getting burned. But I'll take your heart served up two ways. I sing a bitter song. I'm the lonelier version of you I just don't know where it went wrong." I sang along to 'Rat a Tat' by Fall Out Boy.

At the moment it was my favorite song but when it ended I really didn't want to listen to Justin Bieber. I flipped through my favorite songs before I found my most played one. With a small sigh I leaned back in my chair and began to sing along to 'Sugar We're Going Down' by Fall Out Boy.

"We're going down, down in an earlier round, and sugar we're going down swinging. I'll be your number one with a bullet. A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it." I sang along, checking my phone. To my horror it read 2:00. Instead of screaming or letting my voice die to the music I continued to sing as if I hadn't realized the time.

My thoughts were running a mile a minute as my lips continued to move. Why hadn't the animatronics tried to kill me yet? Why hadn't I noticed the time? I had only listened to three songs. How could time have passed by so quickly?

""We're going down, down in an earlier round, and sugar we're going down swinging. I'll be your number one with a bullet. A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it." I sang to the chorus, letting my eyes glance up at the camera wired in the neighboring party room. When it panned over to me I opened my eyes wide to let Mike know I was still there. Sadly, the camera panned away. I needed a better plan.

I let my voice raise even louder than it had been before. I had to get out of there. Was my voice the reason they weren't trying to attack me? It was my only hope.

"Am I more than you bargained for yet? I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear cause that's just who I am this week." I intoned even louder than before, giving me a chance to stand up and push in my chair. To my surprise nothing grabbed me and snapped my neck.

I continued to sing even louder, letting my voice fill up the room no matter how it sounded. Knowing that my voice was the only thing keeping me from death I slowly began to walk down the right hall towards the office.

"Lie in the grass, next to the mausoleum. I'm just a notch in your bedpost but you're just a line in a song. A notch in your bedpost but you're just a line in a song." I belted out, as I stepped foot in the hallway. I was glad the hallway was empty because my voice echoed and bounced off of the walls making it even louder than before.

I continued to sing as I slowly shuffled my way down the hall. Eventually the song ended and began to play the next song immediately. With a metal sigh of relief I continued to sing and make my way down the nearly pitch black hall.

"This is gospel for the fallen ones locked in permanent slumber. Assembling their philosophies from pieces of broken memories." I chirped, putting quite a bit of emotion into my words. I couldn't hold on forever but I was doing my best and I tip-toed down the hall.

I was on the second verse before my eyes adjusted in the dark. I nearly screamed at the sight before me but I kept my voice loud and stable. Foxy was standing off to the side of the hallway watching me with his glowing emerald eyes.

"This is gospel for the vagabonds, ne'er-do-wells and insufferable bastards. Confessing their apostasies led away by a perfect imposter." I steadied, stepping closer to the rogue animatronic. Foxy was making whirring, mechanical clicks and noises that didn't sound good but he didn't seem to notice me walking by. If anything he seemed to be in a trace, just listening to me.

"Oh, this is the beat of my heart, this is the beat of my heart. Oh, this is the beat of my heart, this is the beat of my heart. Don't try to sleep to the end of the world and bury me alive. 'Cause I won't give up without a fight..." I crooned, stepping to the end of the hallway and into the sight of the door camera. Sadly the door was closed, but I knew Mike was in there.

"If you love me let me go-o-o. If you love me let me go-o-o. 'Cause these words are knives and often leave scars. The fear of falling apart. And truth be told I never was yours. The fear of falling apart." I cried, letting my voice ring louder than it had before.

Quickly, I turned around and slammed on the door, still keeping my voice loud enough to block out the sound. A second later the door opened to a wide-eyed Mike who snatched me inside. Before he could slam the door shut, various screams and quick footsteps filled the hall. I screamed as Bonnie's face appeared in the doorway just as it shut in his face.

"The hell was that?!"

"You tell me!"


	13. 12) Never underestimate

A fusillade of multiple fists banging on the door made the two of us jump and interrupted out little reunion. A deep, almost demonic, voice spoke from the other side. I jumped back in fright and nearly knocked over Mike who was standing behind me.

"You'll pay. You'll pay. You'll pay." it growled. I cowered in fear but Mike stood tall behind me.

"I'm not paying for shit! You can get your metal ass away from my fucking door and my intern before I kick it in the trash!" Mike shouted at the door, his eyes full of pent up anger I didn't understand. I gulped and stepped away from raging Mike who looked like he wanted to punch the door.

"Oh you will pay Mike Schmidt...and so will your lady friend." it growled again before metal scraping tile could be heard down the hallway. Mike looked like he was about to open the door and beat the animatronic responsible for the comments to a pulp. Instead of being scared about the threats I was thoroughly shaken by his outburst.

He was heaving in pure unbridled rage and his fists were clenched so tight his knuckles had turned white. A vein was now evident on his neck from how tightly his teeth were clamped together. Mike ripped off his hat and slumped into his chair before he glanced up at me.

Instead of saying anything I just stood there, my back leaning up against the glass. That's when I realized the door on my now right side wasn't closed. Before I could respond a high pitched scream erupted from behind my head causing me to lurch forward and shield my ringing ears.

Before either one of us could respond Chica pounced on top of me. The weight of her metal body any costume causing me to be trapped underneath her. My eyes found her angry violet ones as I struggled to get free from her grip. Thankfully her tackle had left my arms and hands free, meaning I could at least attempt to push her off.

Chica opened her mouth to show me her second set of teeth that were dripping with the same liquid substance that Bonnie's had. I screamed as she tried to bit off my nose with her powerful, gnashing jaw. I closed my eyes, ready for her overpowering strength to end me.

"Not today you yellow piece of scrap!" Mike shouted as he hit Chica in the face with one of the heavy office chairs. She flew backwards and into Bonnie who was waiting for his turn for a chance to maul us both. I tried to scramble away from Chica who was now crawling her way over to my feet.

She latched on and wouldn't let go no matter how hard I pulled. Bonnie grabbed Chica's waist and began to drag the two of us into the hall where Freddy was now waiting his turn for a chance to get us. I flipped onto my stomach trying my hardest to get a grip on the slick floor but I couldn't find a hold.

It wasn't until I found that Mike now had a grip around my chest did I realize I still had a chance to live. The two of us used all of our adrenaline strength to pull me back inside of the office and slam the door shut on Chica's head. Sadly the door raised upwards allowing her to pull herself out before it closed for good, instead of bashing in her metal skull.

Mike and I just lay there for a moment heaving with the last ounces of adrenaline we had left. It wasn't until our bodies calmed down did we realize how bad our situation had been. Both of us lay on the floor, Mike leaning up against the left hall door, and I leaning up against Mike. The two of us completely exhausted.

"Y-you okay?" Mike muttered, obviously still winded from our altercation with the animatronics. "I th-think so." I stammered, the rush of energy I had felt earlier was now gone which left me very tired.

"How ab-bout you?" I asked, barely able to make my voice sound audible. Mike didn't say anything but gave my shoulder an affirming squeeze. I sighed and tried my hardest to regain my composure but it was really hard with the image of an angry Chica etched into my skull.

A minute later I tried to sit up, but my body felt too heavy...as if it were made of metal. Before I could freak out and have a panic attack Mike snatched his tablet thing from the desk and began to flip through it. "Wh-what are you doing?" I squeaked, as Mike put it in my hands.

"It's the video feed from when...you were out there." Mike muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. I let my eyes run over the scene and I nearly cried at what I saw.

It was still me sitting in the chair listening to my music, but the entire screen was fuzzy and static-y. Every now and then my eyes would flash a black color before returning back to its original. "This is with the sound." Mike huffed, flipping a switch on the side of the tablet. The sound of my voice pierced the silence of the room.

I swallowed and continued to listen to my voice but I could hear underlying background noise. It was wispy and smooth like wind blowing across the camera. A second later it fuzzed out and returned with an even more disturbing sight.

An animatronic stood behind me in the shadows with its entire body obscured in darkness. Despite the fact I couldn't get a good look at who it was...I...knew. It was as if I knew he had been there the entire time even though I hadn't noticed. The whole thing was odd to say the least.

Mike proceeded to quicken the tape which lead to the fact that the animatronic never moved. It continued to watch me as if it were watching over me. I could hear Mike swallow hard as he stopped at a certain point. "Here's where I really started watching." He whispered.

"We're going down, down in an earlier round, and sugar we're going down swinging." My voice sang a bit louder than it had been before. I realized this is when I had made my escape. I pushed my chair in and began to slowly walk towards the left hall.

The animatronic slowly began to move with my movements before it stepped into the lighted area. "Oh shit." Mike cried, gripping my shoulders in his hands. I glanced up at him and swallowed at the fear in his eyes. "The power's running low. Can I see your phone?"

"Y-yeah. Why?" I stammered, fishing my old phone from my pocket and handing it to Mike. "Cause adding a phone like yours almost triples the power." he said, plugging my phone into the tablet. The little percentage bar in the corner I hadn't noticed before was now flashing at 100%. Mike sighed in relief and slumped back against the door before the 6 a.m. chime rang through the building.


	14. 13) A heart of metal

"Well that was a waste of my phone battery." I muttered as I picked up my dead phone. Mike gave an awkward shrug as the two of us slowly stood up from off of the floor. "You okay?" Mike said, steadying me from falling on the floor. Taking the brunt of Chica's weight had really done a number to my abdomen, which ached with the promise of bruises for tomorrow.

"Well...if you count being squished underneath a heavy ass robot as okay...then I'm just dandy!" I grumbled, wincing in pain that Mike couldn't and would never understand. "I'm sorry to hear that. It's...my fault all of this happened anyway."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, looking up at him in confusion.

"Well...I...uh." he mumbled, fiddling with his fingers. "I...I saw you sitting near the stage and I was...I didn't want to...I was scared. I-I couldn't...I couldn't..."

"Hey!" I shrugged, giving him a small smile and a slight punch on the arm. "I didn't die did I? So all's good."

"Really?" he asked, looking at me with slight confusion. I nodded and attempted to pull my headphones from around my neck. "The hell did my headphones go? I never take them off."

"Didn't Chica tackle you?" Mike suggested, his electric blue eyes obviously not liking the idea at all.

"Yeah...you're right." I smirked, dashing out into the hallway. I could practically hear Mike's cursing echoing in the hall.

"There are my headphones." I sighed with relief as I trotted onto the stage. Mike was calling my name and telling me to stay back but I shrugged him off. Chica looked the exact same as before except for the white SONY headphones draped across her neck.

"Wow. I never knew animatronics had a use for headphones." I smirked, glaring into her violet pink eyes. She was staring back...and she was enraged. "I'm so sorry sweetheart, but white really isn't your color. Here. Let me take those off of your hands." I smiled, reaching for the headphones.

To my surprise Chica's eyes went pitch black with white pinprick irises. I could hear creaking and squeaking as if she was trying to force herself to move. I swallowed and smirked as odd courage seemed to fill me. "Why so mad Chica? I'm not going to hurt you."

Chica leaned slightly forward, opening her jaw some as if she wanted to bite me. "You know what?" I asked, suddenly getting an odd idea. On my wrist was an old charm bracelet that Zamora had gotten me on my sixteenth birthday.

"How would you like a trade? After all, you won those fair and square." I smiled, undoing the clasp of the bracelet and waving it in front of her face. She stopped moving her jaw and her eyes regained some color as I showed her the jewelry, but I could tell she wasn't thoroughly impressed.

"I've had it since I was sixteen. Now I'm nineteen and I don't really need it anymore." I spoke quietly, fastening the circlet around her petite wrist. "Each one of these charms was given to me on my birthday. Each one is special in some way. I hope you enjoy it more than I did."

Chica's eyes went back to their original color and she seemed to stand up straighter. I smiled and leaned up on my tippy-toes to slip the headphones away from her neck. This time she didn't show any sort of hesitation to give them to me. Before I could back away from Chica I glanced over at Bonnie and Freddy who didn't seem to care about what I was doing.

"Hey." I smiled, looking at her one last time. "You keep them out of trouble, okay? Okay."

With that I hopped off the stage with an errant smile plastered on my face. Mike looked absolutely mortified and was gaping at what I had just done like a fish. I smirked and looked back to Chica who seemed to be...smiling.

"Never underestimate a heart of metal."


	15. 14) Do you ever

"Hey um...I forgot to tell you something." Mike said as we walked across the parking lot and over to the employee parking. I looked up at him to show I was listening before he began again.

"Uhm...when you turn your phone on, you might wanna check through your videos. The tablet automatically syncs all footage onto any device plugged into it."

"It does what?!" I blurted, letting my feet stop moving. A second later I jogged up to Mike who stood a couple paces in front of me. "So you mean to tell me that if I look on my phone, I'm going to have a bunch of videos with demonic Bonnie staring at the camera?"

"Uh...probably. But you can still delete them." Mike shrugged, twirling his car keys on his fingers. I sighed in defeat before splitting away from Mike. I fished my car keys from my pocket and began to try to unlock my car before a voice sounded from a few cars away.

Startled, I weaved through a couple of cars before finding Mike on his knees. My jaw dropped at the sight of blood on his shirt. "Mike...?" I trailed off, letting my eyes drift down to the lump in his arms. He looked up at me and shook his head before he stood up.

"A puppy...oh god." I realized, stepping closer to get a good look at it.

"I-I think it was hit by a car." Mike trembled, holding the puppy even closer to him before. I let my fingers slowly pet its head, only to pull away in disgust. Blood was smeared across my fingers, reminding me of the traumatic nightmare I'd had last night.

"W-we need to get him to the vet." I whimpered, letting my eyes look around frantically for anything calming. Mike nodded and held the puppy even closer to his chest, smearing its blood on his shirt. I whimpered and pulled out my phone before realizing it was dead.

"H-here." Mike stammered, pulling his phone out of his pocket and handing it to me. I crinkled my nose at the sight of blood on it but began to search up a vet close to us. Meanwhile Mike was holding the puppy and trying to comfort it despite the fact it didn't seem to be moving.

"There's one right up the street." I said breathlessly, letting my eyes light up with hope. "W-we need to get there as soon as possible." Mike nodded but he seemed frantic. "W-we can take my car!"

He nodded and followed me as quickly as possible, careful not to jostle the injured pup too much. When we got to the car I panicked, realizing Mike couldn't hold him forever. "Here. Wrap him in this." I said, taking off my jacket and giving it to him.

Mike snatched my jacket and began to wrap the little dog into a bundle. I closed my eyes for a second and unlocked the doors of the car. Mike gently placed the puppy in the backseat and jumped in the passenger side. I took a deep breath before starting the car and speeding down the street.

"Shit." Mike whimpered, his eyes going wide in shock. It took me a second to recognize the low whine of a injured pup calling for its mother. "We're almost there!" I cried, stepping on the accelerator. The hum of the car filled my ears as we speed across the asphalt, tears burning my eyes.

Not today. Please, not today.

"We're here!" I shouted, pulling up the car to the entrance of the veterinarian's office. Mike immediately jumped out of the car, grabbed the puppy, and rushed inside. My task was to park the car but I was still on the verge of absolute panic.

I took short, quick breaths to calm myself before I did as I was supposed to do. I exited and locked the car before I slunk into the office. My body slumped into the first available chair and I slowly began to ponder the events of the day.

Momentarily, my thoughts were interrupted by a bloody Mike as he slumped down into the chair next to me. He didn't say a word or even look at me, but I could tell there were many thoughts running through his head.

"Mike? How'd it go?" I asked timidly, leaning in a bit closer to him. He didn't seem to care, but bit the corner of his lip in a sort of concentration. He picked up his hand (which was covered in blood) and let sit on the armrest.

"How do you think?" he muttered, his eyes sulky and dullen in somberness. On a normal occasion I would have made a snarky comment in return, but I knew it wasn't the time or place. I leaned back in my chair before getting up and walking over to busy, blonde, bombshell receptionist.

"Um...Miss?" I asked timidly. She barely paid me any attention but managed out a preoccupied greeting. "You wouldn't happen to know where the bathrooms are?"

She motioned to a pair of doors on the east side of the open waiting room. I mumbled a thanks before walking over to Mike. He looked up at me like a disappointed toddler before closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. I sighed and walked over to the bathrooms, knowing that Mike wouldn't have listened to me even if I had screamed at him.

I opened the door and went inside of the cramped, tiled room. It may have been pretty small but it had nothing on the office at the restaurant. I sighed and leaned up against a large, long mirror that showed the reflection of all the stalls.

With a sigh I began to manage my appearance with water and some paper towels. I wasn't sure how, but a large smear of blood wound up on my white shirt and was visible to anyone who would pass a glance at me. Letting my eyes examine my appearance some more, I noticed that I was wearing a wrinkly white muscle shirt that I had half-hazardly thrown on before my shift.

Feeling exposed, I slowly began to clean myself up. To rid myself of some stress the night had caused, I splashed my face with water and dried it with a paper towel.

Before I could grab some towels to clean my shirt with, I glanced at the large mirror. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a figure standing a few stalls away. At that point I didn't pay any attention, but it took me a second to realize I had been alone from the moment I had stepped into the bathroom.

Looking up into the mirror I saw nothing, but paranoia started to kick in. I was sure I had seen someone but I decided to shrug it off. Once again I continued to clean up, but this time I was sure I had seen someone a stall away.

"Hello? A-anyone there?" I stammered, letting my eyes scan for any signs of life. Nothing. I turned back around to the mirror, ready to see the figure but no one was there. "God. I really need to get some sleep. I must be going crazy." I muttered to myself, splashing even more water on my face.

This time, when I looked up, I got a good look at the figure. It was much taller than me with a more masculine figure to it. To my horror it was standing behind me...watching my every movement with it's cold yet indifferent eyes.

I immediately recognized the figure as Bonnie and screamed in terror as I fled the bathroom. At one point I thought I could feel him breathing down my neck as I opened the door. I ran as quickly as I could around the corner before slamming headfirst into Mike.

At this point I was crying hysterically and sobbing out warnings to a clueless Mike who was doing his best to comfort me. He had a large mark on his throat from where my head had met his neck and would form a pretty bad bruise in the next couple of days.

"B-b-bonnie!" I sobbed, trying to push Mike out of the way of the bathrooms. He seemed to be more clueless than alarmed. "What?" He asked with a look of dumbfoundation etched on his face.

"Bonnie! I saw him in the restroom! He's c-coming to get us!" I hiccupped between sobs. Mike looked at me with even more bewilderment.

"Mr...? Is everything alright?" The blonde receptionist asked, raising her eyebrow in suspicion. "Yeah. She's just a little upset about the dog we found." Mike lied, leaning over a bit so he could talk quieter without alerting the receptionist.

"What are you talking about? What is going on?" He asked, seeing past the tears that were spilling down my cheeks. I hiccupped and whimpered but was able to croak out a reply.

"I-I saw Bonnie. I-I-In the bathroom. I-I don't wanna die." I sobbed, as Mike looked at me. "Shhh. It's gonna be alright." He murmured, wrapping his arms around me.

I may have barely knew him but the comfort I felt at that moment was nothing like I had ever felt before. I broke down and began to cry even harder than I had before but he didn't stop me or pull away. He continued to hold me while I caved into the reality of death and how close I could be to it.

"Better?" He asked, rubbing my back in a sort of calming motion. I hiccupped again and nodded before pressing my face into his neck. He tensed up a bit at this motion and pulled away much to my dismay. "Look, everything is going to be fine." he said gripping my shoulders in his hands.

That's when the vet showed up.


	16. 15) Regret something

"Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt? I have some news about the puppy you brought in." The veterinarian said, adjusting her glasses on the tip of her nose. She had a bit of a worried look on her face but I immediately discounted that because of what she had just said.

"What?" Mike and I said in shocked unison. "Mr. and...Mrs. Schmidt?" I asked, raising an eyebrow confusion. Mike didn't say anything, but judging by how red his face was I could tell he understood the meaning of her words. The vet gave a sheepish smile before clearing her throat.

"I'm sorry. I just thought...uhm...never mind." she sputtered awkwardly, flipping through the papers on her clipboard. She looked to be in her early 30s, late 20s and was quite pretty for a vet (although she seemed a bit worn). The look on her face went from apologetic to sorry in less than a moment before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry, but the puppy you brought in...it...didn't make it. I'm sorry. We did all that we could but...he lost too much blood." she whimpered plaintively. For a second I was okay, I knew it was okay. I mean, things die all the time but...this was different.

I flopped down in the nearest chair and sighed, holding my head in my hands. It took another moment for the real reality to kick in. Death was surrounding me... and would eventually swallow me whole. Two days ago I had been a happy-go-lucky 19-year-old girl with no cares in the world. As of that moment I was a woman who realized I was staring death in the face.

I could hear Mike talking with the pretty vet but it was garbled and distorted...like I was hearing through water. I didn't look over at them but I could feel one salty tear fall down my cheek. I wiped it away before standing up, too shocked to even speak. Not that I even wanted to.

"I see. Thank you." Mike said, pressing his lips together in understanding. He walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"C'mon. I've got it taken care of. We should probably get back." He stated slowly, almost as if he had no emotion. I wouldn't admit it, but I could see the brokenness in his eyes.

"Yeah." I rasped, closing my eyes and exiting the cold building. Mike was behind me the whole way. Without thinking, I threw the keys into his hand and crumpled into the passenger seat. I was just glad I knew it wasn't in my best interest to drive.

Most if the car ride was in silence...a tired one too. Both of us were still a bit worn from about 8 hours of emotional torture and all I wanted to do was pass out.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this." Mike sighed, keeping his eyes on the road. I could tell he was avoiding my eye contact but I didn't blame him.

"Why? This wasn't your fault." I said, looking out the window at the passing scenery. It was a nice distraction but I knew it wasn't going to help out the conversation.

"I know but...I'm used to this shit. I've been knee deep it for almost a month. I should've at least warned you. It's not like Randy would have." he spat bitterly, most of the anger directed towards himself. "You don't deserve all of these problems. I do...but you don't."

"Neither one of us deserves this. Getting angry at yourself isn't going to help you either. It's only going to make it worse. Trust me, I know." I muttered. Mike didn't say anything but I could tell something was eating at him.

"Hey," he sighed. "you remember when you heard the animatronic in the hallway?" I nodded, looking at him with slight confusion. "Yeah. Why?"

"I realized something." he mused. "What?" I said, looking at him. He didn't meet my gaze but I could tell he didn't want to say anything.

"I realized I was responsible for anything that could happen to you." he said dryly, swallowing hard. I felt my mouth go dry at his words, but I couldn't argue with him. He was correct. I was his responsibility, and his 'intern'.

"It's funny, 'cause when I first met you I didn't care if you lived or died. Now, if you die...your blood is on my hands. Believe it or not...I've never had this kind of liability before." he laughed, almost as if he was frustrated but I could tell he was just in shock. I was too.

"Thanks for that info. I feel so safe now." I smirked with sarcasm. Mike let out a small laugh and I joined him. It felt nice to act human for once.

Mike pulled up to the restaurant and we got out of the car. He tossed me the keys and started to walk away before a familiar voice fill my ears. "Eleanor Bates! The hell have you been?"

Mike and I stopped dead in our tracks, unsure of how to react. A second later Zamora stormed up to me with a look of anguish and anger engraved into her face. "I've been calling you all fucking night! Where have you been?"

"M-my phone was dead. I-I had no idea you were calling!" I stammered, unable to really react to an angry Zammie. I had never seen her like that before.

"You haven't been home for three hours! You usually get home at 7! Right now it's almost 10!" She shouted gripping my arm like a vice. I was confused to say the least, seeing as though she was exploding for no reason.

"Dad just had a stroke Eleanor! I've been trying to find you for the last few hours. Why weren't you home when you were supposed to?" she said, her voice deflating into sniffles. I wrapped my arms around her as she cried.

"Wh-when did this happen?" I asked, looking her in the eyes. Zamora sobbed but managed out a choked answer.

"It happened right after you left the apartment. Mom called and told me at work...I couldn't find you. I...I thought something happened to you!" she sniveled, wrapping her arms around me in a loving embrace. "I th-thought you were d-dead."

My jaw opened to say something but I couldn't, so I closed it. I could see Mike out of the corner of my eye...watching us. I held her tight until she pulled away to wipe her eyes of her running mascara. "Wh-why are you covered in blood?"

"I-I...uh..." I stammered, trying to form the words. Before I could even form a response she turned to Mike. "Are you responsible for this?!" she growled, directing her anger towards him. I tried to stop her but she pushed me out of the way.

"Did you hurt her?! I swear to god-" was all she could say before I yanked her backwards. She glared at me but this gave Mike enough time to form an answer.

"I didn't hurt her! W-we found a puppy that got hit by a car and we took it to the vet. That's why we're covered in blood!" he asserted, putting his hands up in defense. Zamora rolled her eyes and grabbed my wrist.

"I don't care who you are or what you're doing! You stay away from my sister you creep!" she shouted, looking at me. "You are not coming back here again!"

"Wait! You can't do this! I-"

"Like hell I can't! This place is already messing you up! I'm your older sister and I make the decisions!"

"You CAN'T! Why can't I make my own decisions?! Why don't I have a say in anything?!" I screamed, pulling away from her. Zamora looked shocked and so did Mike. I couldn't believe her.

"I didn't even want to take this job! Dad forced me to take it 'cause he felt I needed the experience! This place is a hell hole, and the only reason I come back is because it's the only place I can actually be myself! I haven't even worked here for TWO days and I already feel more at ease. You CAN'T do this. It's all I have left." I sobbed, wiping my eyes and pulling away.

Do you ever regret something?


	17. 16) Why don't you

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" I sobbed, wiping my eyes. Mike just looked on in pity as I hiccupped and sobbed. Zamora looked unchanged but seemed to understand my words. I gripped my car keys in my hands before taking off toward it. Zamora shouted in outrage behind me but I continued to run.

I jumped in the car and slammed the door shut as Zamora ran to the side of the car. She continued to yell at me and pound on the door as I pressed the lock. Mike was behind her...just watching as a bystander. With one shot I jammed the key into the ignition, turned it, and backed out of the parking space.

Both of them watched in awe as I sped away, unsure of where I was to go.

"Eleanor? Oh my, sweetheart. What happened, dear?" an older voice called from the screen door as the click of unlocks filled my ears.

"I've been through a lot lately. I was wondering if I could stay here for a couple days." I whimpered with shame. The door opened to reveal an older, heavier set, woman in her mid-50s with graying blonde hair and interested blue eyes. I knew her as Granny when I was younger, but her real name was Mrs. K.

"Of course sweetheart! You're always welcome here. Come in, come in." She beckoned, opening the door in invitation. I entered the house and collapsed into a sobbing mess at her feet. I was so grateful for her understanding that I couldn't think of anything else to do.

"Eleanor, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" She asked, pulling me to my feet. I looked her in the eyes before a familiar masculine voice made my heart skip a beat. "Mom, what's with all the noise?"

"Jeremy!" I shouted, jumping to my feet and whirling around. He stood in the doorway to the main hall of the house, wearing an old t-shirt and some knee length shorts. His unruly brown locks were still as messy as I had always remembered them as well as his tired green eyes. Today he had a bit of stubble growing in, making him look older and mature.

"Eleanor?" he asked, dumbfounded. I practically jumped into his arms where he gripped and held me tight. "Yeah...it's me." I hiccupped, wrapping my arms around his neck. I hadn't expected to see him but I was glad I did.

"God. It's been so long. I've missed you so much." he mumbled, holding me tighter than before. I nodded and buried my face into his neck. He smelt like security, fabric softener, and Jeremy. With that I began to cry again, not as hard as earlier, but they were still tears of gratefulness. As far as I was concerned...I was home.

"Oh..." Jeremy said as I took a sip of tea Mrs. K. had made for me. Thankfully, my story was finished and both of them knew all of the events of the last few days (the animatronics omitted of course). Jeremy seemed more concerned than his mother but I knew it was going to be alright as long as I stayed with them.

"It's almost 12 in the afternoon. You need to get some rest if you're gonna go back to work." Mrs. K. said, grabbing my tea and placing it on the coffee table. Jeremy didn't say anything but seemed to agree.

"A shower too." he added, crinkling his nose at the sight of my bloody shirt. "If you want, you can use my room. I've gotta be at work in an hour and I won't be home until late. By then you'll be gone, and I'll be able to get some sleep." he offered, looking towards his mother. She didn't seem to have a problem with it, so it was determined. I was to stay in Jeremy's room.

"Hey...um...let's get you settled in then." He said, getting up off the couch.

"I'll be off to work in 15 minutes. Try to get as much sleep as possible dear." Mrs. K. said as she picked up my cup and headed towards the kitchen. I followed Jeremy down the hall and into a medium sized room I remembered to be his. Although, last time I had been there two beds had been crammed into it.

"Uh...yeah, about that. Jake lives next door to you now so we didn't have to room together." Jeremy stammered, rubbing the back of his neck in nervousness. I chuckled at his bumbling attitude, but hey...that's Jeremy for you.

"Not much has changed...I figured it wouldn't." I mumbled, letting my eyes slowly examine the room. Everything was exactly how I remembered it. So much so...it was kinda depressing. Once again...that's Jeremy for you. Ever since we had been little kids he'd always had a thing about organization...it was a little creepy.

"What's that? I haven't seen it before." I said, walking up to a cork board with many pins and pictures stuck to it. Some were older than others, some were torn, and some were shiny like film. Jeremy seemed a little bashful about it but I could tell he wouldn't take it down for the world.

"Uh...w-well...heh." he stammered. "Mom gave it to me a few years ago. I...didn't want to put it up but...I felt like I had to."

"Oh hey! I remember this one." I giggled, leaning up closer to it. "It was when me, you, Jake, Asher, Zammie, and Bucky went to the beach. Look at us. It's like we're... a family."

"I guess you could say that..." he grumbled, looking at one of Bucky, Jake, and finally himself. I understood what it was like to be the middle child...and to be forgotten most of the time. I also knew the pain of having an older half-sibling that acted like they owned the world.

"I know how you feel, Jere. It's hard having snakes for siblings." I snickered in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Yeah." he mumbled, looking at the picture in disdain. I sighed and leaned up against him before glancing back up at the still-life snapshot collage. Some were of birthdays passed, others of early Christmas mornings, and some...at a place I recognized all too well.

"Wh-where did we take this picture?" I stammered, shock washing over me. Jeremy looked over the picture and shrugged. I could tell he didn't care.

"Where did we take this picture?" I asked more insistently, gripping his arm in my fingers. That really seemed to catch him off guard.

"Uh...I don't remember! We probably took it at some old family restaurant or something. Uh...Freddy Fazbear's Pizza...I think." he muttered, pulling away from me. I swallowed and sat down on his bed with a squeak of the springs.

"Uh...you must be hallucinating now. I'm gonna go get you some clothes to change into." he muttered, leaving the room with a worried expression. I wasn't concerned about Jeremy...I was uneasy about my future.

Without hesitation I ripped that specific picture off of the board and took a good look at it. Jeremy and I were standing together, giggling and having fun. Jake and Zamora on he other hand were pouting with party hats and looks of moral disgust. In Mrs. K.'s arms sat two babies...one of my little brother Asher...and one of Jeremy's little brother Bucky. Behind us all sat a stage with the fluffy animatronics I had once remembered. All were paying attention to the little kids...except for Bonnie.

I swallowed and jumped at the sound of Jeremy returning. Quickly, I shoved the picture into my pocket and looked up to an expectant Jere. He handed me a small bundle of clothes that stirred up old memories of better times.

"Wait...are these the pjs I used the last time I stayed here?" I asked, giving him a raised eyebrow. He flushed slightly and nodded in acknowledgement before rubbing his neck. I chuckled and hugged him before pulling away.

"I can't believe you saved these. I thought...I thought you hated me for leaving."

"How could I do that? You're my best friend...and the only person who doesn't get annoyed as shit by me."

"Thanks for ruining the mood Jere. I'd better go get cleaned up before I make your bed a war zone, Oh and...thanks again. I really missed you."

"Me too El. Me too."


	18. 17) Just leave me alone

"Jere?" I called, looking around the corner and into his room. To my surprise I didn't see him, but I did trip on my oversized sweatpants. With a mutter of a curse and shaky recovery I got up to glance at my appearance in his dresser mirror.

The girl staring back at me was the same slender girl from the pizzeria except she was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants. The sweatshirt was black, labeled with 'Absolute Territory' in bold letters, and was so large it slipped off of my shoulder without the slightest provocation. The sweatpants, however, were regular grey ones that had been rolled up at least 5 times and were still too long.

"El, I'm in here." Jeremy called, waving his hand out of a little closet in his room. I chuckled slightly but went to check on him. Once again, to my surprise...he was covered in boxes.

"W-what happened to you?" I giggled, pulling a few strands of debris from his hair. He flushed hard but didn't say a word. We both knew his situation was pretty self-explanatory. "Heh. It was an accident." he blushed, pushing some ratted old boxes off of his legs.

One ripped open, spilling assorted clothes and items onto the floor of the closet. One of the items caught my eye and I reached for it in curiosity. "Oh, I remember this."

"What is it?" he asked, pulling himself out of some old boxes.

"It's one of our old walkie-talkies. I remember we used to be able to talk to each other half way across the neighborhood with these things." I giggled, letting my fingers examine the carving on the back. It read J.F. in bolded yet childish scratches. I smiled, putting it in his hands.

"Yeah. These things were so powerful that I could hear you in your house across the street. It was pretty cool you kno-" he beamed before bone chilling static could be heard from the speaker. The two of us looked at it in confusion before we spoke.

"I thought it was dead." we said in unison. Jeremy shrugged, accidentally letting go of the frizzy gadget in his hand. It grew ear piercingly loud as it hit the ground and filled the tiny closet with it's sound. We scrambled for it and picked it up, efficiently killing most of the static-y noise.

"Hm...that was weird." he muttered, examining it closely. "I only remember it having this much interference when both walkie-talkies were just a few feet apart. Wait a second..."

I watched with inquisitive eyes as he began to play around with the hand held electronic. What really scared me was when we figured out what was going on. The closer the little radio got to a certain spot on the ground it would fizzle and pop with a discordant melody of hisses.

"Wait..."Jeremy said, circling the walkie around the area. "It's right here but I- Oh."

"What? Is something wrong?" I whispered, getting on my knees like him.

"No...but there seems to be a a small storage space here." he mused in examination, knocking on the hardwood floor to receive a hollow sound in return.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah." he said, letting his hands rub at a wooden plank. To our surprise it was loose and Jeremy was easily able to slide it out of the way. My jaw dropped at the sight of a metal chest about the size of a shoebox in the floor.

It looked like it was made out of dented tin and seemed old with rusted age. Jeremy's walkie-talkie went into a buzzing fit so loud that he tossed it onto his bed to save our ears from the discomfort. I swallowed at the look of the lock which was also deteriorated with age. I was pretty sure that not even the most skilled hands could have opened it and spared the items inside without damage.

"Here, let me get a hammer and a screwdriver to pry that thing off of there." Jeremy muttered in thought. "I'll be right back."

With that he left the room, leaving me with our newly found treasure. A deep part of me was excited to see what was inside, but it was covered by a deep foreboding feeling weighing in my chest. Somehow, I knew I wouldn't enjoy the contents of the mystery box.

Even though I knew it wouldn't do much, I began to fiddle with the corroded latch. To my surprise it wasn't even locked and completely fell off with a startling 'clink'. I knew I should have called Jeremy to tell him about the box but I didn't. Call me selfish but I knew the box had nothing to do with him.

With gentle fingers I opened the metal case with a rusted groan and gasped at the sight of it's contents. Inside was the other walkie-talkie, some old pictures in a small album, a faded purple cap that looked familiar, and a faded bow tie that also looked way too familiar.

The red of the bow caught my eye and I picked it up with the most tenderest of care. It felt so fragile I thought I would rip it with one small touch. Somewhere from deep inside the recesses of my mind, came a small memory that bubbled up to the surface of my thoughts. I had no idea where it had come from, but I delved inside to uncover it's mystery.

The smell of pizza filled my nose as I passed by the kitchen of the restaurant. My tummy growled deeply but I shook it off because I was going to go visit my best friend in the whole wide world. I hadn't been able to see him since he was "moved to the night shift" or whatever that meant. Today he was back and I could finally go and see him.

I peeked around the corner to find him sitting in his chair staring expectantly at a tablet thing. I giggled and ran up to him to show I was there. Catching his attention he smiled and looked at me. The conscious part of my mind recognized him but I was too deep into the memory to pull out of it.

"Hey there sweetheart. Don't you want to go play with your friends and talk to Bonnie?" he asked with a way too familiar voice. I shook my head, knocking strands of my dark hair in my eyes. I wiped them away and he chuckled with amusement.

"Do you wanna see my work?" he asked again. I nodded furtively as he picked me up and sat me in his lap. I clapped my hands in excitement as he flipped the tablet thingy back up. I grinned at the sight of Chica, Freddy, and Bonnie dancing at their stage. He flipped to another image of that scary pirate thing dancing near some little kids on a stage. His shiny metal hook scared me the most and I began to cry.

"Hey, there's nothing to worry about. As long as you're here, everything will be okay." he said again, putting the tablet thing down. I wiped my eyes and looked up to him. To my surprise my memory had left out the detail of a hat...a faded purple one.

Without warning he took it off of his head and set it on mine as gently as possible. A second later he fished something small and red out of the pocket on his purple shirt. He then fastened it to my shirt with a small pin that was attached to it.

"There you go sweetie. Now you look just like Bonnie." he smiled, showing me my reflection in the screen of the tablet thing. I giggled and hugged him tight before pulling away. As the memory flickered out, a brief image of the man's name card appeared in my vision.

In bold letters it read...RANDY.

"Hey...you got it open." Jeremy said, causing me to jump out of my skin.

"GEEZ JEREMY! You scared the crap out of me!" I shouted, carefully holding the satin bow of rouge.

"Heh. Sorry." he flushed with a sheepish smile.

I went back to examining the bow but Jeremy had other plans. He grabbed the box and placed it on the bed despite the fact the walkies were chatting in their shared hisses. He turned them both off before sitting down on the edge of the bed and beckoning me next to him.

With a huff I slipped the bow into my pocket and plopped down next to him as he began to examine the contents of the metal case.

A/N:

Sorry for the long wait! I've been dealing with school parties and such. I felt as though some more background information was in order. But why was it hidden in the floor? A new chappie is sure to come. Comment and vote for more!

P.S. Songs for the chapter:

1.) Absolute Territory - Ken Ashcorp

2.) Absolute Territory - Ken Ashcorp (Remix by The Living Tombstone)


	19. 18) Memories are small

"Well it's good to know these still work." Jeremy smirked, running his fingers across my old walkie-talkie. I nodded and took mine into my hands. On the back E.B. was etched into the plastic with a cursive like scrawl. I recognized it as my hand writing.

"Yeah." I muttered in thought. The memory I had experienced just a few minutes earlier was boggling my brain. Randy had worked there when we were little kids, but it didn't make any sense that he was a security guard.

"You okay? You look a little tired." Jeremy said with concern, leaning over my shoulder. His voice knocked me out of my confused muddle but sent a chill through my spine. He'd been there before so...how could he not remember?

"Yeah, it's just...nothing." I muttered, looking back down at the hat in the metal box. Jeremy's mouth worked itself into a frown as he looked away. "Goddammit Eleanor! You know, I know that this isn't 'nothing'. I've been trying to be nice about it, but now I'm just confused. What is going on with you?!"

We sat there in silence as I fought with myself in an ongoing conflict. I wanted to tell him about the pizzeria, the animatronics, our past...at that place. I wanted him to know but I couldn't tell him. He wouldn't believe me anyway. What could I do?

"Well? Aren't you gonna answer me?" he growled, glaring at me. I swallowed hard and rubbed my face in my hands. Before he could say anything else I swung my feet onto the bed and lay down on his pillow. I flipped over to where I was facing the wall (not him) and sighed.

"No." I said plainly, closing my eyes to silence the doubt in my head. I heard the bed squeak and sink a little as he lay next to me. I should have known Jeremy would try to coax an answer out of me than to leave.

"Look. I know you're tired, angry, and...probably a bit emotionally unstable. But you need to talk about these things if you want it to get any better." he said, propping himself up on his elbows. He nudged my shoulder before rustling around in his bedside table.

"Want a smoke?" he said through a lit cigarette, waving a little white package in my face. I was a bit shocked at first, but then I remembered that Jeremy wasn't as innocent as he looked. No one is. "Nah. I'll just share yours." I giggled, yanking the smoke from between his lips and taking a huff.

I hadn't smoked for quite a while but the burn of it in my lungs was a certainly welcome distraction. Yeah...I knew it was bad for me, but I could count at least ten other things that could kill me within the next 12 hours (my sister included). The longer the smoke stayed in my lungs the calmer I became before letting it lift from my throat.

"Damn. Three years and you haven't lost your touch." Jeremy smirked, plucking the puff from my fingers and letting it hang out of the corner of his mouth. I rolled my eyes and sighed out the rest of the tobacco through my nose before relaxing against his shoulder.

To outsiders, we probably looked like two lovers sharing a smoke after...well, you get the idea. But to us...we were two siblings being rebellious and sharing a bond we hadn't been able to for quite a few years. I missed those moments and relished in this one.

"Hey, take a look at this." Jeremy said as I took another puff of our cigarette. "Hm?" I hummed, blowing a bit of smoke between my lips. Before I could protest, he slipped the butt out of my fingers and snuffed it out in his bedside ashtray. I shot him a look but he slipped the small album of pictures into my hands instead.

"This one." he said, pointing at a picture of some little kids during a party of some sort. I raised my eyebrows at Jeremy but went back to the picture. As soon as my eyes glanced over the faces of a couple of kids a memory bubbled up to the surface of my thoughts. Even though I tried to fight it...I couldn't.

I was sucked in again.

"Wow. You look just like Bonnie!" Steven (my best friend at the time) squeaked as I entered the show stage area with a grin plastered on my face. He was an ebony-haired femboy with big green eyes and a purple shirt. The two of us admired my unique bow tie and one-of-a-kind hat as a few kids gathered around in envy.

"You can't be Bonnie! Bonnie's a boy, and you're a girl!" a familiar voice called from the little kids. A second later, a young kid around the age of eight pushed through the crowd. Just by the way his dark brown hair fell in his startling brown eyes I recognized him immediately.

"I can be whatever I want to be! You can't stop me either, Daniel!" I spat in outrage. Many of the kids 'oohed' and 'awwed' at my bravery and confidence when confronting him. Of course, Daniel did not.

"No you can't! I won't let you!" he growled, stepping to me.

"What are you gonna do about it?" I snapped, pushing him away from me.

Before I could react, Daniel gripped my wrist tightly and dragged me out of the room. I had no idea what would happen next.

I held my face in my hands as I cried out tears of anguish. Not only had Daniel taken away my hat and bow tie...but he'd taken away my sense of pride. Something too personal and precious for me at that age. I was hiding in 'Pirate's Cove' (while Foxy played with the other kids), trying to figure out what I would say to Randy when he found out I had lost his gift.

Just as I thought I had an answer, the curtain opened to reveal Randy himself who gave me a smile. In this memory he looked to be around 16 maybe even 17 (which was odd, seeing as though my other memory showed him at his age now). I whimpered and covered my eyes in shame as he coaxed me out. I sat on the edge of the stage, unable to meet his eyes as he put something in my hands.

"You got back my hat and bow tie! Thank you!" I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck in gratitude. He didn't say anything but stroked my hair a few times. I thought it was weird but I didn't speak up and giggled against his neck.

"You wanna do something fun?" he grinned, easing me off of the stage as I nodded. The two of us walked down the hallway hand-in-hand, singing one of Freddy's songs. Randy led me into the office and I sat in his cushy leather chair as he began to check the cameras.

A second later he put down his tablet and walked to the right hallway. He stuck his head out and examined the hall before slamming the door shut with the palm of his hand. He walked over to the left hallway and did the same thing before stepping in front of me.

"Now what I am going to show you is a secret and you can't tell anyone. You've also gotta be quiet too, or somebody might hear us." he said leaning forward. I was a bit uncomfortable but I nodded and crossed my heart in promise. I trusted Randy and would keep any secret of his to the grave.

"Good."

"Uh, El? Why are you crying." Jeremy asked, wrapping an arm around me in a comforting manner. Thankfully, his voice was able to pull me out of the memory before I could really get all of the details. I knew enough, and was violated with that fact. No wonder I had chosen to forget that hidden fracture of a pure nightmare.

I threw the album across the room and pushed my self as far away from it as possible. Jeremy was trying his best to calm me down but his attempts were futile. What Randy had done to me was too horrific to even believe.

"Eleanor! What is going on!?" Jeremy shouted gripping my arms in confusion. I tried to fight him for a second but crumpled into his arms in a sobbing mess. Despite the fact I didn't want to tell him I knew he had to know.

"Jeremy," I sobbed, pressing my face into his chest. "When I was a little girl, I was molested by someone who I thought was my friend. Now...he's my boss."

A/N:

Well, well, well. I told you Ellie would have some hell to pay even though she didn't do anything wrong. Yay! Once again I am fucking my characters up for no apparent reason. There will be no NSFW in this story but if there is suggestive material I will warn you at the beginning of each chapter. I'm not going to put up a warning for gore seeing as though this is a FNAF fanfic. What do you expect? Comment and vote for more!

P.S. Song of the chapter:

Nicotine - Panic! At The Disco

-Gberryb


	20. 19) Coma inducers

"I had no idea El. Why didn't you tell me when it happened?" Jeremy said in shock, his green eyes wide in confusion. I pressed my face into his chest and cried as he clutched me. I had no idea what else to do.

"I d-don't know!" I sobbed trying to hide in his shirt. Never in my entire life had I felt a depression like this. I couldn't go back to that place...especially with him there.

"I-I was so young. I-I don't think I even knew what he was doing. When I got older...I think I chose to forget so I wouldn't have to live with the pain but...I don't remember." I hiccuped between gut wrenching sobs. Jeremy didn't stop me and just held me even tighter.

"There...uh...it's gonna be alright." he stuttered, trying to calm me down. I didn't blame him for being so apprehensive (seeing as though I had just flung this whole train-wreck on top of him). Then again, his thoughts were probably running along the lines of how I didn't trust him(or anyone) anymore.

"Shh. It'll be okay. I mean, you don't have to go back, right?" he said, holding me tight.

"Th-that's just it." I hiccuped. "I-I have to g-go back!"

"Why?! What is with you and that...that place! Just give it up already!" he growled in frustration, pushing me away slightly. As soon as he did that I could tell he instantly regretted it by the way hung his head. He tried to pull me close again but I shied away in rejection.

"Why don't you just leave it alone? All of these...things keep happening to you when you go there. So why even try anymore?" he pleaded, looking into my eyes with his green ones. I just crossed my arms and glared at him.

"There's something about that place. I need to figure out what it is!" I growled, laying back down on the bed. "I have to. Even if it kills me."

"Well, what about that Randy guy? If he did that once...he might try it again. No one will be there to protect you either." Jeremy pointed out. Judging by the faintest of smirks on his face he thought that he got me.

"I'll...just stay close to my mentor, Mike. I'm sure he won't let anything happen to me. I'm not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself." I muttered, closing my eyes. I could feel Jeremy deflating next to me. I could only imagine what it would feel like to be in his shoes.

"Alright. But if you're in trouble...call me. Okay?" he said, ruffling my hair before getting off of the bed and walking to the door.

"Hey. You don't mind if I take the walkie-talkies to work tomorrow?" I asked, as he was about to close the door behind him. He poked his head through the doorway before giving me a little shrug.

"Why not?" he said.

"Thanks Jere. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Same here."

My eyes opened slowly to the sight of checkerboard tile and a large glass door with light filtering in through it. I sat up slowly and groaned at the feeling of a stiff back paired with a crack happy neck.

How long had I been asleep there? Where was 'there' to be exact? Somewhere deep in the back of my subconscious I registered my surroundings to be a dream but...my mind argued it wasn't. The landscape felt so real it had to be reality, right?

"Eleanor? What are you doing here?" A voice called out from the shadowy darkness of the surrounding room. I tried to stand up but it was like gravity was pressing down on me to the point of freezing me in place. Instead of looking for the source of the voice I began to crawl to the door, my only source of safety.

I could hear footsteps growing louder behind me as I squirmed across the floor. Hot tears of relief stung at my eyes when I finally reached the bottom of the door. I tried with all of my might to push it open but all of my strength was just...gone.

"Eleanor!" The voice shouted again. I turned my head to come face to face with Bonnie. My heart nearly exploded at the sight of him standing over me with clenched fists.

Before I could react he grabbed my throat in his hands and picked me up like a ragdoll. I tried to fight and wriggle out of his hold but to no avail. Slowly and painfully he began to crush my windpipe with his forceful grip.

'CRUNCH'

I was tossed carelessly to the ground. My head hit the tile, forcing sticky blood into my mouth. I coughed and hacked as viscera filled my lungs and began to pool into the grout of the tile beneath me.

Wheeze after painful breath I lay there...dying. I couldn't stop it or prevent it. As far as I was concerned I had accepted my fate. Bonnie glared down at me with his demonic eyes as a means of intimidation.

"Do it." I gurgled. Blood and saliva dripped from the corner of my mouth as it turned upwards in a snarl.

Bonnie stood up straight, letting the tip of his ears brush the ceiling. His lips turned up in a wicked grin, exposing black liquid dripping from his teeth. After all I had been through...I wasn't scared of him anymore.

He lifted up his foot and pressed it to my damaged windpipe with an odd gentleness. My lips turned upwards into an insane smile, no doubt showing the blood in my own teeth. A giggle formed in my throat before growing into a mirthful howl of emotions.

'CRUNCH'

I awoke gasping, panting and gripping my neck to ensure that it was intact. Huffs of relief escaped me as my fingers ran through my unkempt hair. I slumped over, letting a small smile grow on my lips.

"You okay? I tried to wake you up earlier but you practically punched me in the jaw. I'm pretty sure it's gonna leave a mark." A familiar masculine voice snickered.

I whirled my head towards the source and my jaw dropped in pure confusion. To my right sat Mike who was watching me with a look of interest. In his hands sat his tablet which was flipped to the camera of Pirate's Cove.

"I-I was dreaming?" I gaped, looking around in disbelief. Much to my chagrin we were in the office exactly as it usually was. Of course, something felt off.

"Yeah. When you got here you cried for an hour about how bad your day went. There was something about how your best friend kicked you out of the house or...I don't know. You seemed pretty out of it. You sure you're okay?"

I nodded feebly and leaned back in my chair. The calming hum of the fan brought me back to my senses. Didn't I fall asleep on Jeremy's bed though? Sadly, I couldn't remember.

"Hey. If you need to talk...I'm listening." Mike said with slight concern. I glanced up at him before looking down at the dingy checkerboard tile beneath my feet. Could I talk to him? He was still technically a stranger...but he already knew about my shitty life.

"Well. You know most of the details." I shrugged, trying not to meet his gaze. Part of me really didn't want to tell him anything but I felt as though I needed to get it off my chest.

"No...I wouldn't say that I do." He smirked, flipping through the cameras. I flushed hard, trying to convince myself that he needed to know.

"Well..." I squeaked, flashing the door light in nervousness. "You know about my dad."

"Yeah...and your sister." he pointed out, giving me an affirming smile. I fiddled with my hands and gave a small nod.

"What about Jeremy? What is he to you?" he asked, still flipping through cameras. How did he know about Jeremy?

"He's a good friend. I've relied on him for years, and sometimes I feel as though he doesn't realize how thankful I am to have him around."

"So," Mike yawned, almost as if he wasn't interested in the conversation. "Do you like him?"

"No. He's a good guy but...I couldn't...I can't." I sighed, relaxing at the truth. "Sometimes I feel like I'm leading him on but...I'm not sure if he likes me."

"Yeah. I get what you mean." He shrugged, closing the right door. "What about me?"

"You?!" I flushed. "I don't like you. I mean, you're still technically a stranger. Also, don't you have a girlfriend?"

"What makes you say that?" He grinned.

"I saw the picture of you and her on Facebook."

"If you say so." He grinned creepily, putting down his tablet before relaxing in his chair.

"Why are you smiling like th-" was all I could say as pain flared through my stomach. My jaw dropped and I collapsed to the ground, shrieking in pain.

Mike stood up, pulling me to my feet by my hair. Tears welled in my eyes at the sight of a hook protruding through my back and belly.

"Here. Let me get that for you." He laughed, grabbing the curved end of the hook. I shook my head and pleaded for him to stop but my voice caught in the back of my throat. I tried to push his hand away but my strength was beginning to fade.

I watched in fear and anguish as he stabbed the curved ending back into my abdomen. A scream filled my ears as the tip of it was forced back through my belly and out of my back. I felt like a shrimp that had been double hooked on a fishing line. My hand gripped his arms tight, unwilling to let go as an unknown force began to pull me into the hallway.

"Why?!" I screamed, as the hook tore through my body and ripped out chunks of flesh and vertebrate. My jaw dropped at the sight of a gaping hole in my stomach. I couldn't stay in my feet and swayed before falling into his arms. Tears fell from my eyes at the feeling of the metal hook slipping around my neck. One tug and my neck would be slit.

"Because," he grinned, tearing some flesh out of my wound with his fingers. "There is no such thing as safety."

'SHLERK'

Mike grabbed me and held me as blood bubbled out of my neck and spilled across our clothing. Tears blinded my vision as my life source leaked out of me and onto the floor.

"I'm sorry Eleanor Bates, but this is how it has to be."

I sat up in the bedsheets, clutching a pillow like it was a lifepreserver. In an attempt to calm myself I pressed my face into the soft fluff of it. Breath after slow breath, my sanity came back in pieces.

Then there was a knock on the door.


	21. 20) Try not

"C-come in." I stammered, pushing down my shirt that had ridden up to my chest. I gave a small sigh and relaxed in relief at the sight of my abdomen not ripped to shreds, but something was off.

The door creaked open slightly, leaving only enough room for a head to poke through. I watched as thick brown hair and light blue eyes peeked into the doorway.

"Bucky?" I asked. The door opened to reveal a young teenage boy who was almost a spitting image of his older brother Jake.

"Bucky!" I giggled, swinging my legs over the bed and spreading my arms for an embrace. Despite the fact he was at the age of resisting authority I was still able to pull him into a well wanted hug.

"I've missed you so much." Bucky whimpered, his voice catching in emotion. I knew how he felt, the familiar feelings were bubbling up inside me as well.

"Me too Buck. I'm never gonna leaving you again." I whispered, holding him tight. Soon he was crying and clutching me like I had held my pillow a few minutes earlier.

A weight of responsibility fell in my chest at the remembrance of a long ago conversation with Jeremy. At the time I didn't really believe him but now I knew it was true.

"You don't have to leave us El! Just because your dad says you have to doesn't mean you do."

"You know I don't have a say in this Jere! My dad calls the shots in my life."

"What about Bucky? You remember what happened to our real Mom right?"

"Yeah. She...died during childbirth. Then Mrs. K. adopted Jake, you, and Bucky."

"Do you know what that did to Bucky? He feels it's his fault for everything. I don't blame him, but when you're with him...it's different."

"What are you talking about?"

"He looks up to you Eleanor! He sees you as a mother, despite the fact you're only a few years older than him! If you leave...you're gonna lose him."

"You didn't lose me. I knew you would come back!" He cried, holding me tight. Despite his age and height he still had substantial strength. I comforted him like a mother would her child.

"I knew you were strong. I never doubted you for a second." I murmured, ruffling his hair in affection. Bucky just sniffled against my neck in an attempt to calm himself.

"There were many times when Jeremy and Jake told me you were never coming home but I knew you would. I couldn't believe they'd say something like that but...they did. Now that you're here, we can finally be a family again." He faltered, pressing his face into the crook of my neck. I rubbed and patted his back as I slowly rocked us back and forth.

"We've always been a family, and no matter what anyone says...you're my Bucky." I giggled, cradling the teenager. Despite the fact most boys his age would have been repelled at any type of affection, Bucky seemed to wallow in it.

"Here." He said, wiping his eyes and pulling out a paper from his pocket. "Jeremy told me to give it to you when you woke up."

"What time is it?" I yawned, looking at the drapes which didn't show light to begin with.

"It's...ten, if I remember correctly." He said with a shrug, letting me open the crumpled note.

Eleanor,

I saw how troubled you were when I left, and I know you're going to go back despite the danger. You've always been that way and I can see that part of you didn't die. As much as I hate to say it...I'm glad it hasn't.

I'm sorry I can't be there, but take the walkie-talkies if they'll be any help. You're clothes were a mess too, so I threw them in the wash. Bucky should have put them in the dryer by now.

No matter what happens, just remember that Bucky and I love you. And even though Jake isn't here I'm sure he'd feel the same way.

-Jeremy

I felt my heart skip a beat at the words 'I love you' but that wasn't the point of the message. The importance of it was to serve as a warning for the night. If I died, so would a bit of Jeremy and Bucky.

"What does it say? Jeremy told me not to read it and made me pinkie promise I wouldn't." Bucky said, trying to read over my shoulder. I folded the message and slipped it into my pocket despite his pleas to see it.

"It says that you need to get to bed. Don't you have school tomorrow?" I grinned, watching as he fell onto the bed in frustration.

"But I'm hungry." He whined, tugging on my arm in a needy way. I hissed in pain as he touched a tender spot of skin. Startled, he scrambled to his knees and watched as I rolled up the sleeve of my sweatshirt.

To my horror and surprise, a large purple bruise adorned my entire arm. It wrapped upwards to my collarbone and all across my neck in the most peculiar fashion; almost as if it were a hand print. I immediately got off of the bed and ran towards Jeremy's mirror. I pulled up my sweatshirt to show an ugly black bruise where the hook had tore out a chunk of flesh from my body during my dream.

"You okay? Where did all of these come from!?" Bucky said, looking up at me with a concerned gaze. I swallowed and shrugged before turning back to the mirror. If I had been alone I would have taken off my shirt but I couldn't do that with Bucky there.

"I don't know. I probably just slept on it wrong." I chuckled, although deep inside of me I was freaking out. Bucky looked at me with suspicion but seemed to shrug it off. I hoped he did because I didn't want him to worry too much.

"Uh...you said you were hungry. How about we make a sandwich?" I giggled.

"How long has it been since you've eaten something? Your stomach sounds like an angry bear." Bucky giggled, poking me in the side (although he was careful not to jostle my bruises). I laughed and put the last piece of bread onto our 'gourmet' sandwiches.

"How would you know what an angry bear sounds like?" I giggled, passing him his plate. He shrugged and took a large bite of his very late dinner.

"I don't know. How do you know what an angry bear sounds like?" he smirked, taking another bite of his turkey and cheese. I chuckled, my thoughts conjuring up an image of Freddy Fazbear with a frowny face.

"Just a wild guess." I smirked, looking at a yawning Bucky. I guess he really was tired.

"C'mon kiddo. You've gotta get to bed." I giggled, putting our plates onto the counter. I'd clean it up later, but right now Bucky was more important.

"Alright." He groaned. This time was different because he didn't protest at all.

He jumped into his bed and lay down. I walked over to his bed and stroked his hair. He closed his eyes continued to let me pet him like a cat.

"You want me to tuck you in?" I smirked, sitting on the edge of his bed. He flushed and crossed his arms defiance but I pulled the covers up to his chin anyway.

"Sweet dreams Bucky." I whispered, kissing him on the forehead. I went to turn off the lights but before I could close the door he called me.

"Eleanor?" He asked.

"Yeah?" I said.

"You wouldn't mind staying with me...until I fall asleep?" He murmured sleepily. I chuckled, and closed the door before snuggling under the covers with him. I relaxed and let him curl up against me despite the fact I felt a little uneasy about the whole thing.

"Mom never did this for me. She never had time. I'm glad you're here. Now we can be a real family." He sighed, cuddling even closer against me.

"Me too sweetheart." I whispered, pushing hair behind his ears.

"Jeremy really cares about you." He whispered. "I do too, but it's platonic."

"Do you even know what 'platonic' means?" I said, raising and eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's like, when you care about someone but not in a romantic way." He mumbled. "I'm pretty sure Jeremy likes you like he would a girlfriend."

"How would you know?!" I gaped, feeling my cheeks burn. Bucky just chuckled, and continued to relax.

"You should've seen the way he was acting when I got home from my friend's house." He whispered. "It was 'Eleanor this...' and 'Eleanor that...'. I know he cares about a ton about you..." he trailed off.

I wanted to wake him up and hear the rest about what he had to say but I knew it wasn't a good idea.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

A/N:

Sorry for the last chappie not having a note. I told you I'm shit at writing these things. But I digress, this has been quite an odd chapter. Just to refresh the ideas...

Quicknote fact time:

1\. Bucky was ignored as a child and went to Eleanor for attention.

2\. Jeremy has a crush on Ellie?

3\. Jake, Jerebear, and Buck's mother died in childbirth with Bucky.

4\. Jake, Jerebear, and Buck were adopted by Mrs. K. when they were little.

5\. (This is from the last chappie) Who was that girl in the picture with Mike?

Sorry. I just felt a need to refresh the memory of the past events. Yeah so...comment and like for more! I promise to be quicker writing these if you give me feedback.

-Gberryb


	22. 21) To give in

"I love you." I whispered, kissing his forehead and ruffling his hair one last time.

I slowly eased my way out of the bed with tender footing. I'd seen how tired Bucky was and I couldn't wake him up. I loved him too much to let him worry about the next few hours of hell in front of me.

Quieter than a stalking cat I crossed the floor without a creak and made it to the doorway. Carefully, I opened the door and slipped out without a sound. I sighed and trotted to the kitchen to clean up the mess we had made earlier.

It was 10:58 P.M. when I made my final decision on going back. I felt torn between the mystery of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria and the love of my makeshift family. I knew my choice was selfish but I was curious; and curiosity killed the cat.

Knowing very well that I couldn't leave without a notice, I pulled out some paper and began to write a letter. Somewhere deep inside of me, doubt continued to build but I knew there was no turning back.

Jeremy Fitzgerald,

I don't know exactly what to say except for "Thank You". Over the years I have come to see you as someone I care about, and I would hate to know that I left on a bad note. You're right. I have decided to go back, but I have one thing to say.

I promise I'll be home tomorrow. I can't leave you or Bucky alone again. As far as I'm concerned, you're all I really have left.

Jerebear and Buck, I love you both.

-Eleanor :)

I slipped the note onto Jeremy's newly made bed sheets and on the way out I grabbed the duo of wakie-talkies by the door. I felt bad for leaving but it's not like I had that much of a choice. If I didn't go back I would be leaving Mike alone...and I already promised myself I wouldn't. Although I wasn't sure why.

I grabbed my fresh clothes from the dryer and scampered into the bathroom to change. I closed and locked the door behind me, just to make sure I had some sort of privacy. With timid fingers I pulled off my sweatshirt and sweatpants to reveal the hideous bruises from earlier.

My jaw dropped at the sight of my neck which was almost black with discoloration. Then again, in my dreams it had taken the full brunt of the damage done to me. With a gentle touch I carefully examined the injury. To my surprise, the only place where my skin felt tender was on my arms.

The only bruises not on my neck were on my stomach, just above my belly button, and all across my arms. I was a bit scared about how they formed, seeing as though I was alone until Bucky woke me up. Were these marks some kind of curse?

Sighing, I pulled on my knee length shorts and my white muscle shirt. Realizing I was going to more than likely face off with Randy made me feel very exposed. Despite the fact it was the middle of an inconsistent summer I decided to wear my sweatshirt because I was missing my Security jacket.

Looking in the mirror one last time I saw the girl from the pizzeria, but now...she looked like a corpse. Her complexion was pale, the bruises on her neck looked almost fatal, and her normally brown looking eyes were of a black hue. I wanted to feel bad for her but...then I realized she was me.

Without hesitation, I clipped on the walkies to clear my mind for a second. I tried to switch the pocket contents of my sweatpants into my shorts but the pockets were shallow. Despite that fact I shoved them in there without second thoughts and examined my neck some more.

The bruises were mostly near the side of my neck but were dappled along my collarbone and beneath my chin. To be honest...they looked like hickeys (and I definitely didn't want Randy or Mike to see them).

Trying my hardest to cover them up I pulled the sweatshirt's collar higher onto my neck. It didn't help much, but paired with my medium length hair, it was almost unnoticeable. A gave a small smile of relief before leaving the bathroom.

The closer I drove to the restaurant the more apprehensive I felt. What would I do if Randy wanted to talk to me? Would I try to run? No, I couldn't do that. It would be a dead giveaway.

As I parked my car I got out and noticed that Randy was standing outside of the building. He was smoking a cigarette and glancing at his watch impatiently. I swallowed hard and attempted to enter the pizzeria without him noticing.

"Hey Ellie. You're just the person I wanted to see." He grinned, approaching me. I swallowed and took a step back, trying to find an escape route.

"Uh...whatcha got Randy?" I choked out. To be honest...I was scared out of my mind and wasn't sure what I needed to do.

"I wanted to talk to you about your shift." He shrugged, leaning up against the door frame and effectively blocking my path. "Since I'm manager I decided that maybe you could take the day shift with me. You could catch up on a little bit of beauty sleep. Of course, I doubt you'd need it anyway."

"Uh...n-no thanks. I...uh...actually enjoy the night shift. I get to...uh...hang out with Mike...and stuff." I stammered, coming up with a dumb excuse. While I was talking, Randy saw this as an invitation to come even closer to me.

"Is...someone hurting you? You've got a ton of bruises on your neck." He mumbled, pushing my hair and sweatshirt away to reveal my collar bone. He brushed his fingers across one of the darkest bruises, which sent a shiver of fear through my spine.

"Really. I-I'm f-fine!" I squeaked, as I tore away from him. I pulled up the sweatshirt and whimpered as he caught my arms. He caressed them at the sight of the bruises lining my skin.

"Tell me the little punk who did this to you. I'll make sure they never do it again." He growled, pulling me a little closer.

"Hey Randy. Why don't you backoff? She doesn't seem to be interested in you." A voice called from the parking lot. A wave of relief passed over me at the sight of Mike, whose blue eyes gleamed in the dim light.

"Oh. I'm not trying to make any moves on her. I just want to know who hurt her." Randy shrugged, pulling away from me with an air of nonchalance.

"What?!" Mike said, stepping onto the concrete path leading into the pizzeria. I flushed hard as he examined my neck (even though he didn't touch me like Randy had).

I took a step away from Mike to let him know I wasn't okay with all of the attention I was getting. As if he knew how I felt, he opened his mouth to say something but closed it and shot me a we'll-talk-about-it-later look.

"It's five minutes to our shift. We'd better get to work. Bye Randy." He muttered bitterly, taking my wrist. I flushed at the feeling of how warm his hand felt against my skin but immediately shrugged it off.

Why am I thinking like this?

When we got to the office Mike automatically shut both doors and began to examine me in the light. He rolled down my sleeves and took note of my neck. I was just relieved he didn't try to pull up my shirt or touch me inappropriately.

"What happened? Who did this to you? Was it one of the animatronics?" He asked, gently brushing the bruises on my arms. It didn't feel wrong, like when Randy had touched me, it felt almost like he was trying to comfort me. I slunk away, embarrassed of the regard he held for me.

"I woke up with these." I whimpered, unrolling my sweatshirt's sleeves to cover my arms. Was it just me or did the room feel like it was growing stuffy?

"Bullshit." he grumbled in disbelief. "Did Randy do this to you? That bastard."

"What? I may not like him either, but no...he didn't do this." I whimpered, rubbing a sore spot on my shoulder. Mike sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in what looked to be frustration.

'BANG BANG BANG BANG'

I shrieked and practically jumped into Mike's arms like Scooby Doo seeing as though the noise had come from right behind me. My eyes went wide and I cowered away from the right hall door when I realized the pounding was coming from it.

I watched as Mike grabbed his tablet and flipped to a camera of Freddy trying his hardest to beat the door down. I swallowed and switched to the camera of the left hall. Both Mike and I bristled at the sight of Bonnie right outside the door. He was glaring into the camera with a wicked smile that left me shaking.

"Where's Chica?" I whimpered, too afraid find out. Sadly, I watched as Mike pushed the right doorway's light to reveal her in the window. My jaw dropped at the sight of her trying to claw at the glass with her talon like fingernails.

"I see you." a voice whispered from behind me. Mike didn't seem to hear it and was too focused on pissed Freddy to even care. I swallowed hard and approached the closed metal door with my sweatshirt slumping off of my shoulder.

"Isee you." it whispered again. I knew I should have been scared out of my wits but I was more curious about the animatronic responsible for the call. Pressing my ear up against the cool surface I closed my eyes and began to listen to the movement on the other side.

"I SEE YOU." it growled again, causing goosebumps to raise on my arms. With a nervous swallow I continued to listen to the sound of fingers squeaking against the sleek surface of the door.

"I know you can. Do you think that's threatening?" I whispered, tapping quietly on the door. The voice went silent before continuing it's try at intimidation.

"If you were on this side of the door I'm sure it would be." it rasped in an annoyed yet impressed tone. I smirked and tapped the door gently again.

"If that was the case I'm sure you could see me. I'd be right in front of you, and not behind a door...Bonnie." I giggled, turning back to Mike who was cursing out Freddy and Chica.

"Mike. Calm down!" I chuckled, pulling gently on his arm. This caught his attention and he stopped immediately with a slight red tinge to his cheeks.

"Y-yeah. I should...uh..." he stammered, obviously feeling ashamed for his outburst. Then I realized that my sweatshirt had slipped off of my shoulder to reveal the deep discolorations of my skin and the skimpy shirt beneath. He sighed and sat down, beckoning me to do the same thing.

I could tell it was going to be a long night.

A/N:

Hey guys. Just an update here. To be honest...this story has sort of grown on me. For those of you who take time out of your day to read the author's note section I am glad I have you are even reading my story. I know I haven't reached the 1,000 reads milestone but I'm close...and I have to say thank you. I promise more craziness and awkwardness will ensue with Elliebaby. (Also, I'm not sure which ship will steal my heart: Meleanor/Jeleanor {There will be no Releanor because Randy deserves death})

-Gberryb


	23. 22) Honesty

"You don't think the animatronics are going to bother us?" I asked, looking at the pitch dark window. Mike shrugged and flashed the door light to reveal there wasn't an angry animatronic chicken glaring at us.

"Eh...they seem to know when people want privacy. At least they're slightly considerate of others." he muttered, kicking up his feet on the desk. I shot him a were-you-raised-in-a-barn look and he pulled his feet down with a frustrated smirk.

"You seem upset. If you need to talk...I'm listening." Mike said with slight concern. Suddenly, I was hit with a sense of déjà vu. The atmosphere was exactly as it had been in my dream, same for Mike's expression. Remembering what had happened...I was startled and looked for any way out. If everything continued to go the exact way as it had before...I didn't want to find out.

"Why'd you move away? It's not like I'm going to hurt you." Mike said in response to my chair squeaking against the tile. I closed my eyes and sat down in front of him, into my newly arranged seat. The desk bit into my back as I did so but, compared to my bruises, it was nothing.

"Last night, I was in a nightmare and when I woke up..." I whispered, pulling my sweatshirt over my head. I tossed it onto the desk with a small, exposed, huff and glanced up a the dark window. "I had all of these marks."

"I...they...Eleanor...you...uh..." Mike stammered, his mouth hanging open wider than Foxy's broken jaw. I wasn't sure what his exact emotions were since he was mostly just gaping at me. Even so, he seemed to be glancing me over with a mix of concern, shock, and maybe even a smidgen of anger.

"Eleanor. This is serious." he whispered, leaning forward to get a better look at my injuries. Deep inside of me I wanted to shy away, but I knew that doing so wouldn't help either of us.

"They look painful. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, letting his fingers examine my neck and shoulders.

"H-hey M-Mike, you need to be c-careful. That sp-spot is very t-t-tender. Ah!" I whimpered as he barely grazed the sensitive spot on my arm. Mike instinctively pulled away and stuttered out an apology that caused me to flush with embarrassment.

"It's okay Mike. None of this is your fault." I stated shyly, as small beads of sweat began to form on my brow. It couldn't just be me who felt the temperature was rising.

"I never blamed myself." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in a bashful way. Was it just me or did his hair seem less oily when we came into the office?

"You don't have to say it. I can see it on your face." I chuckled slightly, positioning myself in front of the desk's fan. It had to be getting hotter.

"Uh, is it just me or does it seem a little stuffy in here." Mike stammered, pulling the collar of his work shirt away from his neck. I nodded and continued to relax in front if the fan.

"Can we open a door?" I whined, attempting to open the left one. Mike tried to stop me but I hit the button anyway. As soon as I did a cool breeze drifted into the room. While that may have felt pleasant, I wasn't paying attention.

"Look out!" Mike shouted as a metal hand wrapped tightly around my wrist. I yelped alarm as it tried it's hardest to drag me out of the office and into the grasp of Bonnie.

I tried to struggle out if his hold but Bonnie held me tight and pushed Mike into the right hall doorway with a painful sounding 'thud'. I screamed as he grabbed the front of my shirt and glared at me with his demonic eyes.

I could hear Mike rustling around behind me and I squirmed as much as I could. To my surprise, Bonnie hadn't killed me yet and continued to look me over. As if contemplating the source of my bruises, he looked behind me and more than likely to Mike.

"Let go of me! Ah! Stop!" I cried as Bonnie grabbed on my tender arm and outstretched it as if he were trying to show Mike something. I squirmed and wriggled but he wouldn't let go.

We stayed like this for a few tension filled moments. I didn't really understand what was going on but I could tell Bonnie and Mike did. I cried out to Mike, telling him I was okay, but then Bonnie noticed the worst bruise on my stomach.

I squeaked as he pushed up my shirt slightly, and traced it with his cold metal fingers. Why wasn't he killing me yet? Why was he showing concern for me when he hated me? Bonnie looked up at me before glaring over my shoulder to Mike.

"Yeah. I made those. What are you going to do about it you purple bucket of bolts?" Mike taunted from behind me. Why did he say that? It was a complete lie.

However, before Bonnie could push me to the side and beat Mike to death, an animatronic like screech filled the left hallway. Bonnie glanced down the corridor and his eyes grew wide in alarm.

Foxy practically jumped and kicked Bonnie in the face, just to try and get into the office. Seeing as though Bonnie is the second strongest animatronic in the whole pizzeria he barely budged but did move enough for Foxy to try to stab me.

I shrieked and pulled away as his wickedly sharp hook cut off the bottom of my shirt (that Bonnie had been holding) in one smooth stroke. The next moment I was on the floor scrambling away from the battling bots.

I watched in shock as Mike slammed the door shut and sighed with relief. He slumped slightly against the door but then stood up and glared at me.

"What is wrong with you?! You could have gotten us both killed!" He shouted, gripping my arm and yanking me to my feet. I winced in pain as he brushed the sensitive bruise on my arm.

"I'm s-sorry. P-please let me go. Mike...please...AH!" I whimpered in response as he gripped my arm with surprising force. I tried to wriggle from his iron grip but he wouldn't budge.

"Mike please! I d-didn't know what would happen. It was an accident...p-please." I begged as his dull fingernails dug into my skin and into my bruises.

"YEAH. WELL THAT ACCIDENT COULD HAVE COST US OURLIVES!" he growled, glaring into my eyes with his blue ones. From the beginning I figured the animatronics were the only things to be feared...not the man sitting next to me.

'BANGBANGBANGBANG'

'BANGBANGBANGBANG'

"AIEEEEEEEE!"

"SCREEEEEEE!"

Paired with the sound of the animatronics' malignant sounding ruckus and my already scared persona...I burst into tears. Mike, snapped out of his rage by the screeching robots, seemed to automatically realize his actions and let go of my arm.

"I'm so sorry Eleanor. I...I let my anger get the best of me. I really need to stop doing that." He said in my ear, so that I could understand him over the havoc around us.

I continued to cry, but instead of giving me some distance he pulled me into an embrace. I continued to cry on his shoulder until the commotion began to die down. I wasn't sure why he maintained the hug even after it was all over.

"I-I'm so sorry. It wasn't okay for me to go snapping at you like that. And it really wasn't okay for me to hurt you. I promise it'll never happen again." He whimpered, holding me even closer.

I flushed slightly but didn't break away since I knew he probably needed the extra attention more than me. To be honest...I didn't want to let go of him either. He was always so...stoic and calm in the most dire situations. He was like a life preserver tossed to me when I was drowning in an ocean. I just couldn't let go.

"I-I went off like that because..." he trailed off, trying to find the right words. "I promised to keep you safe."

"When you practically just threw yourself into the hands of death...that made me feel..." he paused again, arranging his words. "It made me feel...like I couldn't do something right. It made me feel like a failure."

"That's why I snapped at you. Because you made me feel helpless, insecure...a-and weak. I can't afford to feel like that, especially with you here." He muttered, obviously not telling me the whole truth. He was hiding something and I could see it in his eyes.

"You don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself, Mike." I said matter-of-factly. He gave a bitter laugh before looking down at me with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

"If you could, I'm sure Randy would have left you alone by now." He smirked, raising one eyebrow as if to say 'How you like them apples?'.

"Randy's a bad guy. He's done some really bad things." I whispered, pressing my cheek to Mike's chest. He seemed to understand where I was coming from and rubbed my back as a comforting gesture.

"I know but...has he hurt you?" Mike whispered softly, keeping his expression blank. I wished I could do that because my eyes were slowly filling with tears.

"Y-yes..." I sobbed, gripping his shirt in my hands. He pulled me even closer, lessening the space between us to nothing. I hiccuped and sobbed some more since it was the only thing I could do.

"H-how?" He asked shakily, obviously bracing for the horrible explanation that was to come. This was the moment I would decide if he would finally get to hear what Randy had done to me. I made the decision.

I laced my arms around his neck for stability as I balanced on my tippy-toes. Thankfully, he leaned over a bit to where I was level with his right ear. I straightened up, and carefully told him exactly what Randy had done to me before pulling away and out of our hug.

I couldn't meet his eyes and I jumped a little at the sound of the restaurant's chime. Mike sighed and closed his eyes before gritting his teeth in rage. He glared at the floor and then punched the wall.

"I'm gonna bash his fucking skull in! How could he do something like that?! That's...that's so...wrong." he shuddered, slumping up against the wall. I flushed at the sight of my tattered shirt and slipped on my oversized pullover.

"Please don't try to confront him. If you do, it's only gonna make things worse. Please just don't." I begged, grabbing one of his hands. I flushed as he intertwined his fingers with mine and nodded before he opened up the right hand door.

I knew he wasn't going to listen to me.

A/N:

Hey guys. I really appreciate all of the attention this story is getting. Last night someone gave each one of my chappies a like and it really boosted it's popularity. I'm not saying that everyone has to do that but every like makes a difference. Also, I think I'm leaning more towards the 'Meleanor' ship but I'm leaving all ends open. To be honest...I think they're better off being good friends but..eh. I kinda want to see them makeout too. I'm kinda just writing off of the top of my head here so I wouldn't know either. Comment and like for an express chapter!

-Gberryb


	24. 23) Is a problem

The sound of our footsteps echoed in the hall as we attempted to leave. Deep inside of me I was hoping that Randy wouldn't be there to see us off. If he was...Mike would flip. Speaking of Mike, he was mortally silent and had one hand possessively on my shoulder. I found it a bit odd but I could only imagine what it felt like to be in his shoes.

"Oh! Mike?" I asked, remembering the walkie-talkies clipped to my shorts. He bristled in alarm but stopped and turned to me with his curious blue eyes. I unclasped Jeremy's old walkie from my waist and handed it to him who examined it inquisitively.

"A walkie-talkie? Sounds pretty useful to be honest. I promise to wear it to work if you do the same." he grinned, slipping it in his back pocket.

"I promise." I giggled, leaning lightly against his shoulder. Mike chuckled and leaned back against me, but shied away when I winced at the pressure on my injured arm.

"Sorry." he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. I chuckled and gave him a light punch as we emerged from the dark hall.

"No prob. I know people who would do the same, but then they wouldn't apologize after." I smirked, giving him a small little shrug. I found his odd behavior very peculiar. Usually he didn't seem so detached and well...shy.

"You okay Mike? You're acting differently." I asked, putting my hair up in a ponytail. Mike became rigid for one quick second but relaxed the next.

"Yeah. I'm fine!" he responded quickly, his voice carrying a tad of regret. I watched as he slumped over a bit, obviously not 'fine'.

"Are you still upset about what happened back there in the office?" I asked again, this time a bit more insistent. Mike sighed and shook his head but still seemed troubled.

"No. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you but that's not what I'm worried about." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. I raised an eyebrow in a what-is-it-then look.

"Uh..." he trailed off, stopping dead in his tracks. I glanced at Mike's puzzled face before the location of his gaze.

"Well. You two are twenty minutes late to leave. What were you two doing back there?" Randy sneered, showing off his oddly sharp teeth. He was leaning up against the doorway (effectively blocking our path), and glancing at his watch. Mike glowered and wrapped his fingers around my wrist, obviously trying his hardest not to snap at him.

"Even if we were doing something, it's none of your business." he spat, standing up straighter. I could feel my cheeks burn at the meaning of Randy's assumption and averted my gaze to the side.

"Is it now? If two of my employees are spending their time fraternizing I might have to switch their schedules. Especially if they're not doing their jobs." He chuckled to himself, crossing his arms with a smug little grin.

"C'mon Eleanor." Mike snorted in annoyance, leading me past Randy. I didn't want to look back, but I did, and was mortified at what I saw.

Randy still had that creepy smug grin on his lips but I could make out the small red bow tie clipped to his shirt. I watched in absolue horror as he stood up straight, puckered his lips in an air kiss, and gave a me lewd wink. Shivers of fear ran through my spine as I patted my empty pocket.

No. No. No. Thiscan'tbehappening.

He remembered me.

"M-M-Mike?!" I squeaked, my fingernails digging into his hand. My stomach flipped multiple times as nausea began nipping at my throat.

"Eleanor? You okay?" He asked, placing his hand on my lower back. I shook my head fervently and doubled over as the contents of my stomach found it's way onto the asphalt of the parking lot.

I stood there, heaving for a few minutes with Mike trying to comfort me. I was just glad I had put my hair up earlier or it would have been covered in my own stomach acid.

"There you go. Better?" Mike asked as he looked at me in slight disgust. I didn't blame him, seeing as though what I had just done was pretty gross.

"No." I whimpered. "Randy remembers me."

"He what?!" Mike exclaimed, his face going paler than I had ever seen before. I whimpered and nodded, wiping my eyes with a baggy sleeve.

"He remembers..." I hiccuped, trembling in absolute terror. Mike was watching the pizzeria doors intently, as if he was waiting for Randy to appear.

"Hey. Come with me. I don't trust you being alone around this place." He suggested, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I promised someone I'd be home tonight." I sighed, tugging on my bangs. Mike nodded but continued to try and convince me to go with him.

"Being here alone for long periods of time is really not a good idea. I especially don't like Randy being around you." He explained, looking me dead in the eyes with earnest intention.

"Are you sure your girlfriend won't mind?" I flushed, looking away. Mike swallowed hard and his eyes widened in response.

"I...uh...don't have...a girlfriend." He bumbled, running his fingers through his hair while gazing away.

Wow. Good job makin' it awkward El.

"I don't have any clothes to change into." I shrugged, feeling my cheeks burn.

"You can...borrow some of mine. I-If you want." he flushed with the same shame.

"I need to call my friend and tell them where I'm going...but my phone's dead." I argued, putting my hands on my hips in growing agitation. He really didn't want me going home alone.

"Mine's not. You can use it if you want." he smirked, crossing his arms in a matter-of-factly manner.

"They won't know who's calling and might block the number." I smirked back, feeling victorious.

"Yeah, well. Didn't you say that you wanted to make your own decisions? Who cares where you are." Mike beamed in triumph.

Damn. He got me there.

"Well you certainly do." I grinned sheepishly, poking a finger into his chest.

"But it's different. I'm taking your safety into consideration." he said, putting up his hands in a defensive position. I tried to form a snarky rebuttal to his comment but came up empty and embarrassed.

"Fuck you." I muttered, putting out my hand in expectation. "Phone please."

To my surprise he actually complied and handed it over without complaint. I dialed the phone number I knew by heart and paced away, much to Mike's dismay. I'd come back but I felt I needed privacy for this conversation.

"Hello?" a raspy yet familiar voice mumbled from the other end.

"Hey Jeremy? It's Eleanor." I sighed, knowing what his response would be.

"Eleanor?! Are you okay?! What's wrong?!" he demanded in rapid fire succession.

"I'm alright Jere." I sighed. "My phone's dead and I just wanted to tell you I'm going to be sleeping over at a friend's house."

"Really?" he sighed in dissapointment. "Well, you're welcome here whenever you like. Okay?"

"Yeah. Just thought I'd let you know. I wouldn't want you to worry." I chuckled to myself, realizing how much our conversation sounded like I was talking to my dad.

"Alright. Just...stay out of trouble, please? I really don't want to bail you out of jail today." Jeremy joked, no doubt having a smile on his face.

"I won't Jere. Bye." I said, hanging up Mike's phone.

"How'd it go? Did your parents say it was okay to go home with your coworker?" Mike teased, shooting me a playful grin. I flushed and pushed his phone against his chest in humiliation.

"You know it's not like that." I grumbled, walking to the passenger side door.

"Oh, I know." he snickered, walking to the driver's side door. "It's just fun to see you angry."

"You. Little. Bastard." I snorted in monotone while narrowing my eyes. Mike burst into laughter and almost dropped his keys as he did.

"I...I can't! Just...oh my god!" he choked between bouts of laughter.

"Mike...seriously. Open the door please." I muttered, feeling my cheeks burn hotter than I had ever felt before.

While Mike continued to laugh his ass off I began to grow uncomfortable. I wasn't sure why I was feeling so...anxious and paranoid. That's when movement in the corner of my eye piqued my interest.

"Mike. P-p-please just open the door." I sputtered, frozen at the sight of Randy watching us from the doorway of the pizzeria.

"What? Aw c'mon Eleanor. It was just a joke." he shrugged, obviously not paying attention.

"Mike. Just. Open. The. God. Damn. Door." I growled through gritted teeth. Mike looked at the direction of my gaze and the smile on his face immediately disappeared.

"You're right." he growled, unlocking both doors and slumping into the car. Only God knows how long Randy'd been watching us.

"Thank you." I muttered, slumping into my seat as well so I couldn't be seen. Even still, I felt like a deer in the scope of a hunter's rifle.

Even after we had driven away I still felt like I had a target on my back. I'm sure Mike was feeling the same way since he seemed to be more fidgety than usual. With another deep sigh I fished my trusty notepad/small journal out of my pocket.

"What are you doing?" Mike asked, raising one eyebrow to me before turning back to the road. I could feel my cheeks burning as I scribbled a few self notes onto the first empty page.

"It's... where I write notes, doodle, and otherwise pass time when I'm nervous." I said, concentrating on my important scribbles. Mike sighed and continued to drive but was obviously still curious about my hobby/time killer.

"So...you're a writer? Ever considered journalism or working for a newspaper instead of Freddy Fuckboy's?" he asked, turning onto a way too familiar street.

"I can't. My dad is forcing me to get a degree in business. That's why I'm an intern at that hell hole." I blushed, feeling a tad embarrassed. "Wait. Are we on Hildebrand, heading to Burberry Oak apartments?"

"Uh...yeah. Why?" Mike said with slight confusion.

"That's my apartment complex." I said in slight shock. Mike just shook his head and smiled in disbelief.

"There is no way you live in my apartment complex." He said, turning into the little subdivision.

"I live in apartment 6A." I stated, looking out the window and up to the third floor. My jaw dropped at the sight of Zamora and Jake talking on the balcony of his apartment.

"Well that's funny, 'cause I live in apartment 10D. That's not even a block away." He murmured, manuvering through the buildings.

Jake and Zamora seemed to be deep into conversation, and with the way Jake was comforting her...I didn't want to think about it. My heart seemed to burst into a million pieces as I looked back to Mike. It's not like Jake cared about me to begin with.

"You okay Eleanor? You went quiet all of a sudden." Mike said, draping his arm over the headrest of my seat. I nodded feebly, but began to write more in my journal.

"Geez. Are you putting some shit about me in there? Or is that just your death list?" He joked, making me feel a little bit better.

"Maybe it's both." I snickered, sticking my tongue out at him. Mike laughed too and pulled into an empty parking spot in front of his complex.

A/N:

Hey guys. Sorry this one took so long. I was trying to make it perfect and well...find a song that went perfectly with this chapter. I love it. You should check it out.

Song of the chapter:

OVERTAKE - Yuki Matsui

-Gberryb


	25. 24) When I'm with you

"Mikey! Mikey!" a small British voice squeaked as soon as we stepped out of the car. I chuckled at the sight of a cute girl about Bucky's age running down a strip of concrete sidewalk towards us. Mike was a bit confused for a second but then grinned at the sight of her.

She looked like an average kid, and was wearing some average summer clothes. I found her accent a little funny since she looked more American than European. Despite the fact I thought she would have blonde hair...it was brown (and so were her eyes). I felt something was off by the way Mike was treating her but...I didn't say anything,

"Macy. Whatcha doing here kiddo? Aren't you supposed to be at Mom's house?" he asked while coddling the teenager. Is that how Bucky and I look when we're around each other?

"Yeah, but Dad said that Sis and I are going on a business trip with him. He says we'll be back by Saturday and that you need to pick us up at the airport." she grinned, obviously excited. Mike gave a sad little smile and ruffled her hair before letting go.

"Alright. Don't you have some things to pack?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. She glanced at me, giggled and whispered something in his ear before running off. In that split second Mike's face turned redder than fire itself.

"SIS! SIS! MIKEY HAS A NEW GIRLFRIEND!" Macy shouted, running up the metal staircase as fast as her legs would take her. However, Mike looked like he wanted to throttle her and throw her down the same flight of steps.

"I'm so sorry. Macy and her sister...just want what's best for me. And as soon as they see me with a friend who just happens to be a girl...you get the idea. Please don't take anything the wrong way." he flushed, hiding his red face in his hands.

"Mike." I grinned. "I think you're forgetting the fact that I have two siblings that both do the same thing. I'll be just fine."

"Heh, a-alright." he stammered, obviously bracing for the embarrassment to come. I chuckled, knowing that I could take whatever they threw at me.

"So. Who is this lucky lady?" another British voice mocked, but this one sounded more mature. I felt my cheeks burn at the comment but was otherwise unfazed. Mike slumped over and whimpered in obvious humiliation.

"Ah. There's my new sister-in-law!" It giggled again (although this time it sounded closer). I watched in slight awe as a the girl from the picture, Rachel Knapp, walked to the top of the steps.

"Wow. You're a pretty one aren't you." She giggled, sticking out her hand to pull me up. "There's no need to be shy. If Mike sees something in you, I do too!"

"Rache. Now's really not the time for this." Mike groaned, once again, hiding his cheeks in embarrassment. She just laughed and gave a mischievous glare at me.

"Mike, brother, you wouldn't mind helping Macy with her bags would you?" She asked, giving her sibling an earnest smile. Mike glowered at her and whispered in my ear.

"Be careful. She can be a real handful." He muttered, leaving me alone with Rachel.

"I...uh..." I swallowed, feeling a little uncomfortable. Rachel just grinned and gave a sweet laugh that put me at ease.

"I'm sorry but...I didn't get your name, dear." Rachel said, waiting for a response,

"I'm Eleanor, Eleanor Bates. It's a pleasure to meet you." I said, nibbling my thumbnail in nervous habit.

"Ah, yes. The girl Mike has been fawning over for past few days." she giggled, showing me knowing acknowledgement.

"What? I didn't know about that." I flushed, looking away from her.

"Don't worry. I can tell you don't have any real interest in him." She smirked, nudging me over to the balcony.

"Y-you do?" I flushed, feeling a bit more confused than ever. She just sighed and propped her elbows on the cool metal.

"Yeah." she smiled. "I can tell it's just an attraction of convenience."

"Attraction of convenience? I'm not even attracted to him." I squeaked.

"An 'attraction of convenience' is when you find yourself drawn to someone because they have something you need...and vice versa." she sighed, almost longingly. "I've been in the same position."

"Y-you have?!" I mewled, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Yes." she chuckled. "Oh and one more thing before I leave."

"Uhm...yeah?" I asked, looking at her expectantly.

"I'm sure you're aware how clumsy and forgetful Mike can be." she snickered, pulling a small envelope from her pocket. "Make sure to give this to him when you both get comfortable, or there might be some serious problems in the future."

"Uhm...okay." I grinned sheepishly, taking the tiny package. She patted my shoulder before calling for her sister.

"MACY! It's time to go sweetheart." she called, opening the door to the surprisingly lavish apartment.

"I'm coming. Thanks Mike for helping me." Macy giggled, taking her bags and following her sister down the steps.

"No problem, Mace." he smiled lovingly, waving to the teen as she disappeared from sight. Mike glanced at me and gave an apologetic smile.

"What did she say?" he cringed, waiting for my answer. With a small giggle I pulled the memo from my pocket and placed it in his hand.

"She told me to give you this. I'm not sure what it is but she seemed pretty serious about it." I shrugged, giving him a puzzled chagrin.

"Huh." he frowned, obviously not liking the little gift from his sister. "Did she say anything else?"

"Nah. Just that you can be...'forgetful and clumsy'." I grinned teasingly, elbowing him softly in the side. With a small chuckle, Mike broke the seal of the small envelope and pulled out the contents in his fingers. For a quick second I had no idea what it was, but then I took a closer look.

"Is that what I think it is?" I stammered, flushing in 0bject mortification. Mike nodded and put it back in the small envelope which he slipped into his pocket.

"Of all the embarrassing things she could have done...she chose to give me a condom?" he grumbled, blushing harder than I had ever seen before. To be honest...I found it kind of funny.

"W-why are you laughing?" he stammered, watching as I began to laugh my ass off.

"Are you kidding me? This is the most hilarious thing that's happened to me since I signed up to work at Freddy Fuckboy's." I choked between bouts of extreme laughter. Mike just watched in disorientation and looked like he wanted to puke all over the concrete floor.

"You're not d-disgusted...a-and want to leave?" he stammered in disbelief, while I began to calm down.

"No. Why would I do that?" I huffed, looking up at my worried friend. "It's not like either one of us plans on using it. Right?" I smirked, watching in amusement as he squirmed. Judging by how red his face had gotten, I was surprised he hadn't fainted from all that blood rushing to his head.

"N-n-n-no! I-I w-would n-n-never...!" he squeaked, glaring at me.

"I'm just kidding Mike. Where's your sense of humor, dude?" I snickered, enjoying the murderous glare he was giving me. "C'mon! You're not going to invite me into your apartment?"

Eleanor Bates - 1, Mike Schmidt - 0

You're damn right.

"Nice place you got...Mikey." I snickered, taking a look around his apartment. To my surprise, the whole place was beautifully furnished and felt quite cozy. No wonder he wanted to show me how he lived...the place was gorgeous.

"One, don't call me Mikey ever again. Two, I'm not responsible for any 'death or dismemberment' while you're here. And three, the apartment looks like this because that's what Rachel wanted." he snorted, opening some drapes to let in some of the early morning sun rays.

"One, I kinda like calling you Mikey. Two, you'd better not think about murder while I'm here. And three, why is your sister responsible for this when you live here?" I smirked, unlacing my tennis shoes and kicking them over by the door.

"I'll explain later but...why'd you do that?" Mike asked, glancing over to my lonely shoes. I gave him a small smile and walked over to the window.

"Oh, in my family it's kind of a habit. We take our shoes off at the door because it's deemed disrespectful to the people who own the house. Or the people that live in it." I grinned, placing my hands together and bowing like a Japanese geisha, Mike snickered at the action and shook his head.

"Well. Seeing as though I'm the host here, would you like something to eat or drink?" he asked, bowing like he was some sort of butler. I giggled and shook my head in a thankful gesture.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little tired, and...I'm sure you remember what happened to my shirt." I said flatly, crossing my arms.

"Heh...I forgot about that." he flushed with a sheepish grin. "Er...why don't we go see if there's something you can wear."

As we walked down that hallway that would lead to (what I presumed to be) Mike's room, I noticed one right next to it with a sign on the door. In bold pink letters it read 'Rachel's Room'. Well, if that didn't explain anything I'm not sure what would.

"You live with your sister in an apartment?" I asked as Mike opened the door.

"She's not my sister." he muttered, turning on the light. I wanted to say something but then I took a glance at Mike's room. I'm not saying it was exactly as I had expected it to be but...it was almost exactly what I had expected.

The little room was cozy with a small throw rug and had a bed at least three times bigger than mine. On either side of his bed sat a night table that each held a lamp and a pile of books. An oversized dresser with a mirror lined one wall, and a nice TV was hung on the other. Plugged into the TV was an Xbox along with three controllers and a horde of video game discs.

If it had been a girl's room it probably would have been spotless but Mike's room was more of...organized chaos. On the farthest wall was a computer desk that held a PC and laptop that both seemed to be plugged in. There were piles and piles of books on almost every surface of the huge desk. Binders of paper and notes were scattered along the floor and the table top with a large stack adorned by a dragon paper weight.

The whole room felt warm, snug, and held an atmosphere of airy comfortableness. What really tied the whole thing together was the fact it belonged to Mike and that it had a masculine feel to it.

To be honest, I didn't mind being there and it was no surprise why. Ever since I had been a little girl I had spent most of my time with my dad in his home office. That being the case...it felt like I was in familiar territory.

"Sorry for the mess. I haven't been able to clean since I started working." he chuckled, walking over to a pair of doors.

"No problem. I know how it can be." I said, admiring the dragon paperweight, With that, he disappeared behind one of the doors and the sound of rustling could be heard from inside.

I really had no idea what to expect.

A/N:

Now, before you say anything...yes...I had to do that scene. It may have been a little overboard but it had to be done to show THERE WILL NOT BE ANY SMUT BETWEEN MY BABIES (and Eleanor is not interested in an intimate romance)! I'm not leaving out the possibilities of any relationships, but I do not condone the usage of NSFW in any of my stories. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Comment and like for MUCH more!

Song of the chapter:

The Only Exception (Piano Cover) - Rob Hughes

-Gberryb


	26. 25) I feel

"Uh...this is all I have that might fit you. I would go check Rachel's closet but I know she has her room locked." Mike flushed, handing me a small stack of clothes. Just by looking at them, they seemed a little too big but...it looked like they would fit.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it, Mike." I blushed, holding the clothes to my chest. He flushed as well, shaking his head in embarrassment.

"No. Really. I-it's fine but if you're going to get changed..." He trailed off. "Why don't you take a shower? It's not like I'm forcing you to or anything!"

"That sounds like a good idea but...where is the bathroom?" I smiled, just a tiny bit puzzled. Mike flushed again, nodded, and opened a second door I hadn't noticed before.

"I-it's a conjoined bathroom. The towels are in the cabinet and when you're done, throw them in the basket under the sink." He instructed opening the door. I mumbled out an earnest 'thanks' before entering the room.

It was much cooler than Mike's bedroom and I found it a tad more comfortable (temperature wise). I put down the clothes and slowly began to examine my surroundings. It was almost alarming how different the two sides of the bathroom looked.

There were two sink areas on the same slab of counter, but they were seperated. On one side it was practically bare and didn't have much to it. There was a toothbrush, a hairbrush, a few other toiletries along with a simple plain cup (Mike's side I presumed).

On the other side it was full of life and color (which I presumed to be Rachel's). Bottles of perfume, lotion, and other beauty products lined a small rack I had no idea could fit there. On her side there were a small undertones of pink, purple, and other 'girly colors'. To be honest...the whole scene looked pretty stereotypical.

I felt a little awkward taking a shower in the same place Mike and his sister took their's, but after a second I was able to shake it off. Surprisingly, everything went well. The water grew warm almost immediately, there was regular soap/shampoo for me to use, and the towels were fluffy soft.

When I was done, I towel-dried my hair and looked in the mirror. My bruises were still very evident but they weren't as bad as when I had woken up. Just by looking at them, the memory of Randy touching them surfaced to my thoughts.

WhenImethimatthepizzeriathatfirstnight I could tell something was off about him. Not to mention he's very manipulative, especially with Mike. He can really tick people off but...what does he want from me? What happened to make him feel this way about me?

I shook my head with disgust and pulled on the shirt Mike had given me. Before I could pull the shirt all the way down, I noticed the worst bruise on my stomach (except something seemed wrong). While gently examining the bruise I found it was fading away much faster than the others.

My thoughts flashed back to how Bonnie had held me by my shirt, and how he'd examined me. I remembered his eyes when he looked up at me too. Something seemed so...familiar about him.

"I wonder if Bonnie had something to do with this?" I mumbled to myself, shivering at the memory of his cold fingers. I hadn't expected anyone to hear, but once again...I was wrong.

"Eleanor? You okay?" Mike called from the other side of the door. I flushed and pulled down my shirt in case he were to come in.

"U-uh...yeah. I'm just putting on the clothes you gave me." I said, slipping on his athletic shorts. As soon as I let go of the waistband they fell to my ankles in a lump. "Goddamit." I muttered, angrily pushing my bangs out of my face.

"Uh...Mike?" I squeaked, opening the door slightly and peeking my head out of the crack. "The shorts you gave me are too big. You wouldn't happen to have another pair would you?"

"Uh...not any in your size. But I don't think you need it anyway." he shrugged, opening the door and taking a look at me. I was tempted to slap him, but then I realized the shirt went way past my knees. Despite the fact he couldn't see me in my underwear...I still felt exposed.

"So...uh. You said you would explain why Rachel lives with you."

"I know you only asked about my relationship with Rachel but I'm guessing you want to know my life story too?" Mike said, passing me a small mug of tea he had made. I adjusted my posture on the couch so I could take a sip of my drink.

"Careful. It's hot." Mike warned, sitting next to me with a mug of coffee instead. I nodded and began to blow softly on my tea to cool it.

"Of course. Don't all friends learn about each other?" I asked, just a bit puzzled. Mike nodded and sipped his black coffee before beginning again.

"Yes, but I don't tell many people about me." He shrugged, taking another swig. A few unanswered questions littered my thoughts, but I decided to be a good guest and listen to what he had to say.

"When I was younger, maybe 9 or 10, my dad walked out on my mom." he shrugged, unfazed. "I know, seems kinda sad, but I never really knew him. It's not like it bothers me that much anymore."

"After that, my mom started working overtime as a flight attendant and wasn't home most of the time." he shrugged again, swirling his mug. "While working one day she met my step-dad and...I'm sure you get the idea."

"As it turns out, he happened to be a very renowned business man in Europe with a daughter three years older than me." he said.

"So...I'm guessing that's Rachel? How old is she?" I asked, knowing I would be able to calculate his age. I'd never really asked.

"She's 25." he yawned, taking a sip of his coffee. I nearly choked on my tea at the realization of Mike's age.

"Y-you're 22?" I asked, trying not to show how uncomfortable I was. Mike was a whole three years older than me? How'd I not know?

You didn't ask, idiot!

Geez, you're annoying.

Well, duh! I'm you, genius.

"Yeah. Why?" he asked, raising his eyebrow in suspicion. I mumbled out a sorry excuse before pushing him to begin again.

"Anyway, my mom married him overseas and stayed there for a few months." He yawned, taking a big gulp of his drink. I was surprised he didn't burn his throat.

"Uh...during that time she got pregnant with my half-sister, Macy. Then she brought my 'new family' over from Britain, hence the accents. " He explained, using his mug instead of hand motions.

"Since I'm the middle child I was always left out and forgotten. You see how my 'dad' left me out of the business trip?" He muttered with growing bitterness. I nodded and let him continue into a rant.

"The only reason my dad let's me do anything is because I'm watching out for Macy and Rachel. If it weren't for me I'm sure Rachel would be stripping by now." He growled, taking another slurp of his coffee.

"Hey, don't talk like that! I'm a middle child too, and just because my sister does get on my nerves doesn't mean I insult her like that." I scolded, leaning forward and glaring at him. I knew what I had done was a tad rude but he shouldn't talk about anyone like that.

"For one, I'm not you! And two, what about your life story, hm?" He smirked, taking a victorious drink from his mug. I rolled my eyes and began to tell him about my family.

"I don't remember much about how my 'family' came together but I do know that my own siblings can be strangers sometimes." I sighed, sipping my sweet yet bitter drink. I watched as Mike relaxed and began to listen to me with interest.

"You know my older, half-sister, Zamora? Well, her mother was killed in a car accident when she was little. My dad took her in instead of letting her live with the relatives of her mother." I sighed, already tired of talking about my needy sister. "I think she kinda hates him for that."

"But, since she was the oldest she got most of the attention and ate it up. Now she's looking for it from the guys that only want to sleep with her." I muttered, a bit of shame welling up in my chest.

"My little brother, Asher, is what most people would call a brat. Since he's the only boy in our family my grandmother spoils him rotten. Now he's addicted to video-games and rarely speaks to anyone." I swallowed, trying my hardest to relax.

"My mom doesn't listen to me either. She's always helping my dad and doing stuff for my siblings. I hate to admit it but the only person that seems to care about me, in my family, is my dad." I sighed, sipping my tea. Mike sat up and opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but then shut it.

"I want to go see him but I don't know what hospital he's staying at. Even if I did, my own family would probably keep me from being able to. They just want to inherit the family business so they can have complete control over family affairs. Although, to be honest, they would be completely inexperienced." I said, pondering over which of my blood would betray me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized all of them would.

"Let me guess. You're the heir to the company, and that's why you took the internship?" Mike said, sitting up and putting his drink down on the coffee table. I nodded and sat up a bit too, although I was starting to feel drowsy.

"The only people I trust, that won't throw me under the bus, are Jeremy and Bucky. But my dad forced me to leave them because he felt they were a bad influence on me. Quote on quote 'if kindness is weakness, and pain is gain, then sentiments are for fools'." I whimpered, putting my drink on the coffee table. With that I wrapped my arms around my knees and hugged them tightly to comfort myself.

"Who are Jeremy and Bucky?" Mike asked. For one brief instant an emotion I couldn't read flashed across his face but instantly disappeared. He seemed concerned but also a tad frustrated.

"Jeremy and Bucky are what I guess you could call my...'adopted brothers'. Them and their older brother Jake, lived next door for years and we grew close. To be honest...I've always seen them as my real family, and I'm sure they see the same for me." I smiled meekly, closing my eyes as more emotions began to take over.

"What kills me is the fact I have a crush on their older brother, Jake. He acts just like my sister and I know he's not right for me but...I can't help but think there's still a chance! He likes Zamora and there's no way I can be like her." I whimpered, completely unaware I had just spilled out all of my thoughts and feelings into a few sentences.

"She always takes everything from me! She takes my friends, my family, and all my self confidence. Why can't I be popular and desirable like her?" I hiccuped, the beginning of tears prickling in the corner of my eyes.

"You don't have to be like her. Just because she gets attention doesn't mean it's for the right things. I'm listening to you now, so does it really matter what she does?" He asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. I felt my cheeks burn slightly at his words but nodded in agreement.

"Thank you Mike. No one besides Jeremy has ever really cared to hear me out before." I said, looking up at him. He shrugged and gave me a lopsided smile.

"You're the first person I've actually held a good conversation with in years."

A/N:

You said what? Hi guys, sorry for the delay. I'll try to write as much as possible and put each chapter into a queue so I don't have to worry about deadlines as much. Remember, if you want me to crank out a chappie really quickly you gotta tell me you want it. Comment and vote for more!

-Gberryb


	27. 27) Safe

"What?" I asked dumbly. What did he mean by 'the first person I've actually held a good conversation with in years'? I was suddenly starting to feel nervous and awkward.

"I'm just gonna be straight up with you." Mike said, adjusting his posture and rubbing his neck in apprehension.

"I've been kind of a shut in for most of my life. Every time I do make friends they get scared away because...I have an issue with my anger. I just get so frustrated...ya know?" Mike grumbled in growing agitation. To keep him from blowing up (since I knew he would) I hugged him.

"That's nothing to be ashamed about! If someone can't see past those kind of things then they shouldn't be your friend anyway!" I smiled, holding him tight. I wasn't sure why I was feeling so...affectionate towards him, but I kinda embraced the feeling anyway.

"See, this is why I can talk to you." Mike sighed flopping down onto the couch. I flushed a little when I realized I was laying on his chest (although I didn't say anything about it). "Macy or Rachel would have ignored me. Especially if I had hurt them..."

"Mike, what you did at the office was no big deal! It was the heat of the moment and you were angry because you felt I was gambling with our lives. It's understandable." I scolded, shooting him a look that would have made Bonnie proud.

"Yeah, but every time I meet someone who generally seems to care about me I...hurt them. I don't mean to do it but...I just get so angry for no reason and...they can't seem to see that." he sighed, slumping over in a depressed manner.

"Well, I can. You don't see me running away do you?" I yawned, glancing up to Mike with tired eyes. He smirked, and gave a yawn as well.

"Mmhm." he smirked, relaxing against the couch.

"For most it's pretty early, but for us it's pretty late. On a normal occasion I would sleep in my bed but since you're here...I think you should take it." He said, grogily. Although I wanted to protest I knew there wasn't a reason to. I was the guest and I wasn't about to share a bed with him anyway.

"Alright. I'll do it." I yawned again, my eyes were starting to feel pretty droopy. "Night Mike."

"Goodnight Eleanor."

"Hello there. I'm not gonna hurt you. Come on out and I promise we'll play a fun little game." A shady voice cooed from the darkness of the cellar. I wasn't exactly sure what was happening but I definitely didn't trust whoever the voice belonged to.

"Really kiddos. I mean you no harm. I just want to give you a surprise." It said again.

This time, a familliar looking girl crawled out from a small crack in the darkness. I watched in horror as a man shaped shadow touched her form and caused it to disintegrate into black ashes.

"Come little children. I'll take thee away. Into a land of enchantment. Come little children. The time's come to play. Here in my garden if shadows." The shadow sang. One after one, three other children escaped their cracks of darkness to be turned to ash by...this man.

"Ronan, I know you're here. Please come out. I promise you're friends are okay." It sounded. This time it was closer and much more clearer. Despite the fact I wasn't moving I was crying on the inside.

"Gotcha!" The voice shouted as a hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me from my sliver of darkness. I never got a good look at the man who was handling me, and I'm not sure I wanted to anyway.

"You get to have the best one." It laughed, slamming me into what felt like a metal wall. I watched as something was placed over my face. It was very thick, covered in a dingy fabric, and had two eye holes. I instantly recognized it as a Freddy Fazbear mask.

I desperately tried to claw my way out of the golden suit but I had been stuffed inside. My legs were broken, and so were my arms, which were bleeding immensely from being stabbed all the way through.

"P...please...n...no." I choked out, tears trailing down my cheeks and mask came closer. I watched and listened in horror as the mask clicked into the suit.

Metal pressed around my entire face, ripping flesh from around my eyes and forcing them to pop out of my skull. The metal beams and cross-hairs used to keep the head stable were forced through my skull and into my brain with a horrific sounding 'SQUELCH'. On the other hand, my teeth were compressed so much that they actually popped out of the mouth of the mask.

My death was slow, painful, and more agonizing than anything I had ever felt. The worst part of it was the feelings of hatred burning deep inside of me for that man.

I wanted revenge.

"Eleanor, calm down!" A familiar voice shouted. I was trapped in darkness and couldn't find my way out. The more I struggled, the worse it became.

"Stop. Eleanor!" He scolded. I felt a hand push me down before ripping off the darkness that had encased my body. I realized I had been wrapped up in a blanket.

"It's alright. You just had a nightmare." He said as I wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed my eyes out.

"There's a fifth kid! He was shoved in a golden suit and his name is Ronan an-" was all I could spill before Mike silenced me.

"It was just a dream. You're mind is making up things that aren't real. Okay?" He said, wrapping his arms around me.

Tears continued to fill my eyes, and I wanted to believe him but I couldn't. I knew for a fact that someone was trying to communicate with me. But...who?

"Ronan." A voice whispered softly in the darkness. I opened my eyes to see someone so unlike anyone else I had ever met.

He looked to be my age (or maybe Mike's) and was very slender too. His complexion reminded me of a light sandy beach and his eyes matched the blue of the waves. In the darkness, his hair fell into his eyes and formed a disheveled halo of golden blonde hair.

"Are you...Ronan?" I asked, my voice barely audible. He shrugged and leaned in a bit closer. Despite the fact I wanted to back up...I couldn't. My body was completely frozen in place.

"Let me help you. I want free you and the others!" I pleaded, knowing very well what his answer would be.

"I'm afraid youcan't." A voice spoke for him. Surprised, Ronan looked to his right and backed away. I moved my gaze to the side and was shocked to see another person standing there.

"Hogging the mortal Ronny? Don't you know I have a few things to say?" Another boy said. Deep inside of me a puzzle piece clicked together but I didn't know to what.

The boy that had spoken looked younger than me but we had to be the same age. Instead of Ronan (who's hair was long) he had half his hair shaved off while the other half was a moderate length black hue. Unlike Ronan, there were multiple piercings in his ears and one on his lip. The clothing he wore consisted of a dark colored shirt (it looked almost purple) with ripped black skinny jeans and a pair of Converse. I wasn't afraid of him despite the cold contempt in his emerald green eyes that were framed with bags of sleep deprivation.

"She needs to know...Steven. You won't tell her what happened because you're ashamed of how you feel." Ronan spat, standing up straighter. Maybe it was just me but Ronan seemed to be glowing with a bright gold aura.

"Steven?" I asked, remembering my best friend. The more I looked at him, the more he resembled the black haired fem-boy that had once been my friend.

"Both of you are wrong. My name is Bonniethebunny."

When I woke up, all I could feel was warmth and afternoon sunlight in my eyes. For a minute I lay there, just trying to figure out where I was and what had happened.

You're in Mike's bed, idiot!

I know bu-wait, did you hear that?

"Mmm..." I groaned, trying to sit up. Despite the fact I had fallen asleep on a comfortable mattress my body still felt achy.

I yawned again and ran my fingers through my unkempt hair before feeling a presence in the room. I immediately poked my head up from the comfy bed sheets to find Mike standing at the door. My stupid bangs fell in my eyes, obscuring my view.

"Mmmh...Mike?" I asked, sitting up to find him peeking through the door. The look on his face seemed annoyed but also...embarrassed? I wasn't exactly sure why he was there to begin with.

"Uh, sorry! I just came to wake you up but I didn't know you were such a light sleeper anyway." he shrugged, trying his hardest not to look at me. "I made you something to eat...if you want it."

"Well I w-" was all I could say before my stomach gave a hideous growl. Feeling my cheeks burn I nodded and sat up a little more. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Mike."

"No problem. I just came in to get a change of clothes. Maybe I should be considered 'clumsy' since I spilled some stuff on my shirt." he flushed. I looked at his chest to see a yellow stain that looked like orange juice outlined on his shirt. I snickered, at Mike's bad luck and looked down at the sheets.

"Hey uh...I'm sorry for your bed. Lately, I've been sleeping like a wild animal." I apologized, taking another look at Mike's disheveled bed. Pillows were scattered across the tousled sheets and some had spilled onto the floor. The pillow my head had been resting on was still in my arms like I had been holding it close all night.

"It's fine. After that nightmare you had...I'm surprised you got any sleep at all." he said, walking over to his dresser. Maybe it was just me but he seemed to be eyeing me, almost as if he was trying to make sure I was okay. I stretched my arms and my legs which felt almost too relaxed.

"What time is it?" I yawned, getting a look at myself in Mike's dresser mirror.

"It's almost 10:00. I don't blame you for sleeping in, though." He said, rifling through some drawers.

My appearance looked disheveled (like I thought it would) but there was something different. The large shirt Mike had given me had rolled up to my thigh (almost to my panties), and showed way too much skin than I would have liked. As quickly as I could, I pushed it down and glanced over to Mike who was still searching for something. No wonder he had been staring at me like that.

Wow. You're such a nerd Eleanor.

Please shut up. It's getting awkward.

A/N:

Heeeey. I'm so happy. Alot's been going on and stuff. Like I said, I have things in a queue so...yeah. Comment and like for an express chappie though!

Song of the chapter:

Come Little Children - KateTheGreat19

-Gberryb


	28. 27) Please

"Here, take this." he said gruffly, tossing an article of clothing at my head. I caught it before it could hit my face and glanced at it. My cheeks began to burn slightly at the contents on the t-shirt.

"Do I really have to wear this? It says 'Fuck Off' in bold purple letters." I said with a grimace. Deep inside of me I was hoping it was some kind of joke but I was certain it wasn't.

"Uh, sorry. That's the wrong one." he grinned sheepishly, taking the shirt and putting it away. I swung my legs over the bed and watched in amusement as he tore through the other drawers faster than lightning.

"I found it. Finally!" he said with an exasperated sigh of relief. I chuckled and stood up a bit shakily as Mike walked over to me. "This is for you. I remember what happened to your shirt yesterday and...I can't let you run around like that."

"Thanks Mike I-woah. Is this a Fall Out Boy t-shirt?!" I grinned, looking down at the familiar logo. Mike shrugged and gave an awkward smile.

"Macy gave it to me a couple years back. One, it was too small, and two, I'm not their biggest fan. I figured you'd like it more." He shrugged again, trying not to look me in the eyes. I smiled and shrugged back.

"It's not a big deal. I'm also a fan of what most people would call 'The Classics'." I giggled, striking a dramatic pose. He smirked and belted out a line from Hall &amp; Oates's Maneater.

"Oh, here she comes. Watch out boy, she'll chew you up! Oh, here she comes. She's a maneater." he sang, shooting me a goofy grin. I laughed and covered my burning face before belting out some song lyrics of my own.

"Hello Daddy, hello Mom. I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! Hello world, I'm your wild girl. I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!" I laughed, pumping my fist in the air. Mike looked like he was trying not to laugh but a second later he was doubled over and unable to talk.

"Oh my god! I just...I can't...I fucking can't!" he choked, falling on the floor and holding his stomach. On a normal occasion I would have stepped on/kicked him (or gotten pissed) but I just sat down and laughed with him. I forgot how good it felt to not worry and to enjoy the time spent with others. That thought however, brought back memories of my older sister and family.

"You okay. You seem kinda down." he said, raising his head from the floor. I swallowed and said nothing but gave him another shrug.

"I kinda wanna go home but...I don't really have one." I sighed, looking away from him. I didn't want him to worry about me but I guess it couldn't be helped. I was worried about him too.

"Oh!" he said, ignoring the comment to sit up and taking my phone out of his back pocket. "I was able to pick Rachel's lock last night. Turns out she had the same phone as you."

"You broke into your sister's room...just to chargemy phone?" I asked incredulously. Mike smiled and shook his head, getting to his feet.

"Nah. I broke into my step-sister's room to charge your phone andget you a nice pair of jeans. The spoiled brat has millions of em'. I doubt she'd even notice they're gone." he grinned, helping me up. I felt disbelief etch it's way onto my face.

"There is no way you let me stay here, loaned me some of your clothes, broke into your sister's room to charge my phone, made me breakfast, and let me borrow even more clothes!" I half-said/half-shouted.

"Wrong. I let you say here, loaned you some clothes, broke into my step-sister's room to charge your phone and get you a pair of pants. Also, I washed your 'Security' jacket, made you breakfast, and gave you some clothes to wear. No biggie." he smiled, giving me his signature shrug.

"Wait. 'Security' jacket? I thought I left it behind at the vet." I said, shooting him a look that made Chica's face look pretty.

"Yeah, you did. I remembered to go get it after you told off you're sister and left. This is just between me and you but...she's kinda scary." he chuckled, giving me and awkward smile. I rolled my eyes and looked at my phone's messages. I mentally groaned as an internal conflict arised between my emotional self and my logical self.

Zamora Bates - 17 New Messages Jake Rueter - 1 New Message

*Girly Internal Squeal* Jake actually texted us! I bet he's asking us out on a date Bates!

No Eleanor, he's not. He's probably just pissed we talked shit about his new 'fuckbuddy'.

*Gasp* Zamora's not his 'fuckbuddy'! I'm his 'fuckbuddy',well...I want to be. Don't look at me like that Bates, you know it's true. I'm you after all.

Oh shut up El. I'm tired of hearing you bitch and complain about that selfish bastard. I don't care if he professes his love for us in this text. I will never love him, and neither will you.

Bates, please I-

New Message Opened From Jake:

Elliebaby, I want to talk to you about some things that have been going on lately. I understand you're probably angry at me but...I wanna see you at the party on Sunday. You don't have to respond, I'll be there waiting anyway.

*High Pitched Girly Scream* He called us 'ELLIEBABY'! He hasn't called us that for months! See, he likes us Bates.

*Blushes* M-maybe you're right Eleanor. He did say "I wanna see you at the party..." maybe he does want something to do with us. He wouldn't call us Elliebaby for no reason, anyway.

I hope he sweeps us off our feet and makes us feel like a princess. I hope he'll ignore Zamora and will pay attention to us. I hope he takes us home so we can be his 'fuckbuddy'!

Okay, no. We will not let ourselves get carried away in any type of fantasies...okay?

*Swoons/Passes out*

Eleanor?!

"Eleanor?! Are you okay? You spaced out for a second." Mike said, tapping my shoulder. I automatically slapped his hand away and blushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry, I forgot about your bruises." he muttered, passing me the FOB shirt and the other clothes I didn't notice he had with him. I shifted awkwardly, taking the bundle before dashing into the bathroom to change.

Once again, I'm making a fool of myself.

I agree. You're such a nerd Bates.

After silently agreeing with myself that I was a nerd...wait...after silently kicking my emotional side in the ass I decided to get changed like I was supposed to.

Hey!

Shut up.

This time I didn't look at my bruises since I really didn't want to get sidetracked. After I was done, I had to admit I looked pretty cute. The dark blue of my uniform jacket went perfect with with the gray shirt and the skinny black jeans given to me. I felt, more or less, swagged out.

"Shit." Mike grumbled under his breath from the bedroom outside. He was mumbling other pretty bad curses I don't feel like recalling. Me, being me, I decided I wanted to see what was going on. Cracking the door open barely an inch I nearly passed out from what I saw.

Mike was standing shirtless in front of his dresser mirror examining his chest (that wasn't the reason I almost fainted ladies). An injury was very evident on his skin...and definitely not a bruise of any sort. I watched in horror and worry as it began to bleed. Where had he gotten that?

"Stupid fox." he mumbled, taking some gauze from the dresser top to clean himself up. Stupid fox? Was he talking about Foxy? It seemed the most likely, but why would he be angry at him?

I swallowed at the memory of his hook cutting off my shirt with one quick swipe. I was possible Mike could have been hurt by him. He had been working there for three weeks without 'incident'. I didn't notice I had fallen on my face until I felt a hand helping me up.

"Wow, you okay?" Mike asked, adjusting the gauze to where it was wrapped around his hand. It made him look like boxer. "Uh...you're nose is bleeding and your face is all red. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I-I-I uh...y-yeah." I was able to stammer out, putting my hand to my nose in an attempt to keep blood from getting everywhere. My cheeks felt so hot I was beginning to feel dizzy and I staggered. Mike grabbed my arm to keep me up...but then I saw the cut on his chest.

"It's infected." I whimpered, taking a look at his cut. It hadn't been deep to begin with but seemed to have the stages of scabbing going on but never finished. The skin lining the abrasion was an unhealthy pinkish color with pus dribbling from where skin and scab met. There was no reason for him to lie to me...but it needed to be cleaned.

"I know." he muttered, looking down at his chest. "It hurts like hell too, but I didn't want you to worry."

"I'm worried now!" I scolded, coming up with a list in my head of all the things I would need to patch him up. "Are you happy?"

"A little. You look so cute when you're face is red!" he chuckled, making my cheeks burn. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and bit my lip. I was a bit disgusted when I tasted the blood from my still dripping nose.

"Fuck. I'll be right back." I muttered, holding my nose. When I got into the bathroom I cleaned myself up and grabbed a few things I would need for Mike's injury.

"Ow! That hurts like a-mhm!" was all Mike could say before I shoved a wad of gauze in his mouth to keep him from talking. He glared at me with indignation before pulling it our of his mouth with a sigh. "Are you making this hurt on purpose?!"

"No!" I growled back, pushing an old washcloth to his chest. It had been soaked in hydrogen peroxide and it was no wonder why he yelped and jumped off the couch with surprising agility. "Hey!"

"Well, what do you expect? It hurts...a lot." he grumbled, glaring at me while protectively covering his chest with an arm. I sighed in frustration, ruffling my own hair with a fidgety hand. I couldn't just let him run around like that, especially after all he'd done for me.

"What do you want me to do? Blow on it? You're not a little kid, Mike." I groaned, flopping onto the couch in exasperation. "Who am I kidding? You're acting like one anyway!"

"Did you say 'blow on it'?" he asked, cocking his head slightly. I sat up and nodded with a small shrug. "Does it not hurt as much when you do?"

"Yeah. Your Mom never did it for you when you were little?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He shook his head and sat next to me with a tired look on his face. I wanted to question him about it but I could tell he wasn't in the mood to be pressed.

"Alright. I'll blow on it but you have to promise you won't tell anyone." I pointed out, a small smirk forming on my lips. It sounded like I was making a deal with a toddler but...okay. As long as no one caught wind of it, my reputation would be saved.

"Deal."

Everything had been more or less succesful. I had been able to not only clean Mike up (without another whining incident) but also grab a quick bite to eat (since Mike scolded me until I did). When we figured we were running late, I almost left my phone behind and, I was practically carried to the car for "taking too long".

"When we get there, don't leave my side." Mike said, breaking the tense silence of the car. I hadn't really noticed how quiet it had gotten. "I don't wanna take any chances with Randy."

He said his name as if he were spitting poison like the Black-necked cobra. I couldn't help but to dig my nails into the seat as paranoia set in. It felt like the target was on my back again.

"I'm not trying to scare you, but if he can get you alone..." he trailed off, glancing over to me. I was shaking at this point and could feel tears in my eyes. What would he do if he got me alone?

"I'm sorry." Mike said, breaking me from my thoughts. "I shouldn't be scaring you like that."

"Yeah." I muttered, looking out the window wistfully.

"Don't worry about it. I'll make sure he doesn't lay a finger on you."

"Thanks, Mike."

A/N:

Whew! One chappie done, many more to come! I can't wait and I'm the one writing this shit. Sad. Anyway, I really enjoy all the reads this story has. I have no words. I just love you all so much. Comment and vote for express chapters! (That is a promise!)

Songs of the chapter:

Cherry Bomb - The Runaways

Maneater - Hall &amp; Oates

-Gberryb


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